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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT 



GPO 

































CONFED’RIC GOL’ 














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. ' ■ "■ •• • • ■* •• 1 • - - » ... 




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Marse Billy, Private and Sharpshooter, Company D, 
Fifteenth Georgia Regiment 




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■ ... . —--V 3 

CONFED’RIC GOL’ 

BY ANNE AND WINIFRED FLUKER 

* , 

« 

" -—*9* 

The gold of the South and her strength 

Lay deep in the hearts of her brave , 

And when the Great Refiner collects it 

He’ll not miss the heart of old Dave. 

imp 

L-— A 

THE J. W. BURKE COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 

MACON, GEORGIA * 

1926 

V - —— - V 

































s 



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Copyrighted 1926 
By Miss Anne Fluker 


MAY 21'27 


©Cl A976688 


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•> •> *\ 

*> A 

<v> * 


( 


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TO OUR MOTHER 

and her sisters of the South whose loyalty to a com¬ 
mon cause, and whose love for brothers and sweet¬ 
hearts warmed the snows of Northern Virginia and 
made bearable the hardships and heart-breaks of the 

Private soldier. 































• : • * 

. 

*" * • * * A 



















... 










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CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

I. or Sal_ 13 

II. Enlisted_ 26 

III. Bull Run_ 36 

IV. Home Again_ 52 

V. Sugar en Cawfey_ 70 

VI. Gettysburg_ 86 

VII. Surrounded by de En’my_1__100 

VIII. De Battle Erbove de Clouds_ 112 

IX. Confed’ric Gol’ _ 120 

X. The Gray Guards_135 
















































































































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PROLOGUE 


nPHE heat was intense, the cotton rows interminable, the 
A hoe hands lagged as .the musical ring of the hoes lost 
its sharp staccato and there was no sound of singing in the 
field. 

Old Dave stirred as he sat drowsing in the Jack Bean 
shade of his little “pen zzer” and looked up at the sun. 

“ ’Bout fo’ hours high,” he muttered, “too soon ter go 
atter de cows. Lawd, ain’t it hot!” 

He reseated himself, carefully tilting his chair until he 
got it properly balanced on two legs, thus giving his old 
head with its scant covering of white wool a comfortable 
resting place against the bleached chestnut logs of his cabin 
wall, and so resumed the dreaming, which is the perquisite 
of the aged. 

To him the life he had lived was so much more real than 
the life being lived around him. To reach those he most 
loved he needs must travel back some three score years, and 
so often had he taken this backward trail that he had lost 
his perspective and had left so much of himself in that 
shadow land of long ago that the past seemed real and the 
present unreal. 

The other negroes on the plantation considered him 
harmlessly demented and, while carelessly pitying him, they 
left him to the solitude he desired and only the grandchil¬ 
dren of his former master, in their eagerness for stories of the 
past, were willing to travel with him the winding trail that 
led back to his rich storehouse of memories. 

He and a small great-grandson were the sole occupants of 

(ix) 



PROLOGUE 


the deserted “quarter,” and they lived alone in the cabin 
in which he had been born. He had refused to occupy a 
more comfortable cabin and was quite undaunted by the 
stories which the other negroes told of the “hants” and 
“sperrits” who occupied the other dilapidated cabins. He 
had been born here. From his doorway his dim, old eyes 
could still see the “big house” that had sheltered the masters 
of his fathers for many generations and now, as age en¬ 
veloped him in lethargic repose, within its shadow he was 
content to wait for the call. 

Often as he sat dozing through the heat of the day, many 
scenes were reviewed by the old brain which still held its 
impressions of the past with unusual clarity. The scenes 
were most often shifting visions of busy plantation life, vis¬ 
ions thronged with his happy black companions of long ago. 
He saw himself a black pickaninny among the many picka¬ 
ninnies who thronged the busy quarter. 

One scene in particular he remembered most clearly of 
all those early visions. His grandfather, dressed in his 
shabby Sunday best, had pushed him into “Miss Calline’s” 
room where Marster sat by the bed and where a small red¬ 
faced new baby lay with fuzzy head on “Miss Calline’s” 
arm. 

Marster looked up and smiled as they entered and said, 
“What is it, Elim?” 

Dave remembered that his grandfather had straightened 
his bent figure with a certain dignity as he said, “Marster, 
Ah wants ter ax er favor uv you. My daddy wuz yo’ gran’- 
paw’s body-servant. Ah wuz yo’ paw’s body-servant and 
my Allen served you faithful tell ’e died. W’en liT Marse 
Robert and Marse Baldy wuz bawn you went out de line 
ter git dey body-servants. Yer took Derry’s Reuben fer 
Marse Robert, an’ yer took Dabney’s Zack fer Marse Baldy, 
(x) 


PROLOGUE 


an now Ah axes yer ter take mer gran’son, Dave, fer dis 
chile, kaze hit’s ’is right.” 

For a minute Marster’s lips had straightened as if he 
were about to reprove the presumption, then he laughed and 
said, “Well, come on, Dave.” And little Dave, obedient 
to his grandfather’s push, had stepped forward and received 
the squirming bundle which Marster had laid in his arms. 

“This is your young Master William, Dave,” he said. 
“You are to be his body-servant and to take care of him al¬ 
ways.” 

Dave had felt awed as, prompted by his grandfather, he 
gave the required promise to care for his little master, but 
at the time he had not realized what a tremendous change 
had taken place in his lowly estate. Thenceforth he was to 
be envied by his former companions, for he no longer 
dwelt in the quarter. He was fed from Marster’s table and 
his pleasant days were spent in the big house where he was 
constantly at the beck and call of the small being, who 
tyrannized over him as over every member of old Marster’s 
household, whether white or black. 

Truly his lines had fallen in pleasant places, and as har¬ 
vest succeeded spring, he had but little part in the planta¬ 
tion toil. 

He was a boy and his chief duty was to follow a boy 
who, though a few years younger than himself, more than 
made up for the discrepancy of age by racial ingenuity. 
When they were out of sight of the house, as they general¬ 
ly were, there was no visible color line between them. They 
had been two boys together and it was share and share alike. 
He had no rifle, but he had his turn with his young master’s 
and was almost as skillful at squirel shooting as was he. 

So the bond of comradeship grew stronger through the 
years, and before either boy came to a realization of his rel 
(xi) 


PROLOGUE 


ativc position the stormy period of “the sixties” came and for¬ 
ever wiped out the pleasant dream. 

As old Dave dozed, the day waned; the sun dropped lower 
and lower, and at last, warned by the lengthening shadows 
that he still had one more duty to perform for this day, he 
rose and hobbled down the “old quarter parf” that had once 
been so broad, and which was now but a narrow zig-zag 
trail, scarcely wider than his hand. 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


CHAPTER I 


ol’ sal 

LD DAVE hobbled down the rocky path that 
led to the pasture. He was grumbling to him¬ 
self over the pains in his stiff knee, when suddenly 
a small cyclone, done in black and white, appeared 
around the bend in the road and seemed to burst at 
his feet. 

The old man straightened up and looked from 
the dust-covered children in the road to a half- 
grown spotted calf who, with head down and tail 
up, galloped away, bellowing his protests against 
the indignities so recently heaped upon him. 

“Whoa, Sal!” called the old man, after the re¬ 
treating calf. 

“Unker Davy, whut you call my calf ‘Sal’ for?” 
demanded four-year-old Robert, scrambling to his 
feet. “Ain’t I done tole yer he ain’t no girl calf? 
His name is Buck.” 

“To be sho’, honey, you is done tole me dat,” re¬ 
plied the old man, “but de trufe is, ’e look so much 
lak ol’ Sal dat I fergits all erbout hit.” 

(13) 



14 


CONFED’RIC GOV 


“Regiment,” this to his small black grandson, 
whose full name, Fifteenth Georgia Regiment 
Thomas, was inscribed in Marse Billy’s big Bible. 
“Regiment, I say, whut did yer do ter dat calf?” 

“I ain’t done nothin’, Granpaw,” replied the little 
darkey, edging away from his suspicious grand¬ 
parent. 

“Yer is too, dat wuz yer work jes’ es sho’ ez yer 
is er lyin’ nigger.” 

“It really wasn’t his fault,” interposed William, 
the older of the two white boys, “we were just rid¬ 
ing the calf when all at once his back went up in 
the middle and we fell off at both ends.” 

“I felt his back break,” screamed Robert, who 
believed in making himself heard, “it went right up 
and threw me off on Reggie.” 

“Dat calf’s back ain’t broke, chile, hit’s jes’ some 
er Regiment’s debilment,” said old Dave. “Dat 
nigger is gwine ter kill bofe er yer befo’ ’e stop, 
and den Ah gotter tell yo’ pa dat mer nigger done kill 
he chilluns in some sich fool way.” 

“Granpaw, I ain’t done nothin’ ter dat calf,” de¬ 
nied Reggie stoutly. As yet nothing had been 
proven, and one does not have to incriminate 
oneself. 

“Look er heah, nigger, don’t you ’spute at me 
lak dat. Don’t yer know I knows yer is lyin’ ? I 


OL’ SAL 


i5 


nebber oughter named yer atter Marse Billy’s reg¬ 
iment. Yer ain’t in dat class. Yer tell me whut 
yer done ter dat calf ’fo’ Ah bus’ yer open and fin’ 
out merse’f.” 

“Granpaw, sho’ nuff, I ain’t done nothin’ ter de 
calf/’ repeated Reggie, walling his white eyeballs 
as he skillfully dodged his ancestor’s threatening 
hand, “ ’fo’ Moses I ain’t.” 

“Heah, boy, I don’ want no splavigations, I 
wants de trufe.” and old Dave seized his recalci¬ 
trant grandson by the back of his ragged shirt. 

“Sure enough, it wasn’t his fault,” repeated Wil¬ 
liam, “and anyway none of us are hurt.” 

“Hit sho’ ain’t dat triflin’ nigger’s fault,” said 
old Dave, without relaxing his hold on Regiment’s 
shirt as he sank down on a log by the side of the 
path, where for the first time he noticed the cul¬ 
prit’s feet. 

“Whut yer doin’ wid dem shoes on, nigger,”— 
again his voice rose in threatening cadence— “ain’t- 
Ah done put ’em up fer Sundays? Ah didn’t git 
’em fer yer ter scruff on lak dat. Whut’s de matter 
wid de heels on ’em?” 

Before the little negro could make his escape the 
old man seized his foot and drew it up for closer 
inspection. In each heel there was a small wire 
nail driven through from the inside. Dave knew 


i6 


CONFED’RIC GOV 


boys, and the sight of the nail was sufficient ex¬ 
planation, so he began a careful search among the 
saplings by the roadside. 

Like a pall, fear descended upon Fifteenth Geor¬ 
gia Regiment. Well he knew, to his sorrow, that 
his grandfather was a connoisseur in the selection 
of hickories, and he began to plead. 

“Sho’ nuff, Grandpaw, I ain’t hurted dat calf none, 
and ’fo’ Moses, I didn’ aim fer ter mek ’im do lak 
dat. Ah jes’ retched down and poked ’im in de belly 
wid my spurrers, jes’ tender lak. Ah wuz Marse 
Gen. Robert Lee an’ us wuz ’tendin’ us wuz sodgers 
an’ gin’ls. Yer tol’ us dat’s de de way sodgers meks 
dey hosses go.” 

“Dar now,” grunted old Dave, “Ah cyan’ tell yer 
nothin’ ’dout yer go tryin’ hit. Some er dese days 
yer gwine ter start som’p’n yer cyan’ finish wid dese 
chilluns an’ den yer gwine ter lan’ in de calaboose 
wid de chains ’roun’ yer laigs. Ye’ll look lak one 
er dem black Minorca chickens, lookin’ out thoo de 
bars er de coop.” 

“Tell us about old Sal, Uncle Dave,” said Wil¬ 
liam, thinking to relieve—for Reggie—a trying sit¬ 
uation. “You know you said you’d tell us a story 
about grandfather if we would keep off the potato 
patch after you put the straw on it, and we haven’t 
been on it again.” 


OL’ SAL 


17 


“Tell us ’bout ol’ Sal, Unker Davy,” begged Rob¬ 
ert, forgetting the recent indignity suffered by the 
spotted calf, who seemed to have forgotten it him¬ 
self as he cropped the tender grass in the fence 
corners down the lane. 

The old man’s face lit up and he resettled himself 
on his log. “Co’s’ I gwine tell yer ’bout ol’ Sal, 
honey; yer ain’t been on dem taters nair time. Dat 
calf look jes’ lak ’er fer de worl’.” 

Dave carefully eased his crippled knee before 
him, while the two boys seated themselves in the 
grass and motioned to Reggie who knew that, with 
his grandfather, out of sight was out of mind. He, 
too, dropped in the grass and on all-fours crept up 
back of the log on which his grandparent was seated. 
He lay on his stomach with his chin in his palms and 
rolled his eyes at the boys on the other side of the 
log, much to the discomfiture of Robert who could 
not refrain from a snicker in spite of William’s 
warning punch. Old Dave saw none of this—he 
had his audience and there was nothing he loved so 
well as to re-live the days when he and Marse Billy 
“fit dem Yankees in de war.” 

He turned and spat a mouthful of tobacco “juice” 
exactly where it would do the most execution on the 
back of Regiment’s wooly head. Both of the white 
boys giggled, and Reggie started up. He thought 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


18 

better of it, however, and rolled beyond his grand¬ 
father’s line of expectoration and scrubbed his head 
with a handful of grass. 

“Well, honey,” began the old man who was quite 
ignorant of this bit of by-play and his share in it, 
“hit wuz up in Virginger an’ hit wuz long ’bout de 
een’ er de war. Hit wuz so col’ hit would er friz 
one er dese parlor b’ars. Hit had been er rainin’ 
an’ er freezin’ fer ’bout er week an’ us had been er 
foolin’ ’roun’ in camp fer er mont’ er mo’. Marse 
Billy an’ de yuther white folks wuz er fussin’ kaze 
dey wa’nt no fi’tin’ gwine on, but us niggers wa’nt 
no ways partic’lar ’bout de fi’tin’. Us figgered us 
jes’ ez soon be friz an’ die nachel ez ter have de 
gizzard shot outen us any day. Well dar us stayed 
an’ dey wuz er fussin’ an’ us wuz er totin’ wood 
fer ter keep ’em warm when orders come fer us 
ter march, an’ gentermens! us marched. Us start¬ 
ed ’fo’ sunup an’ us marched tell atter dark. Ah 
nuvver did know whar us wuz gwine, ner whar us 
wuz at when us got dar. All Ah knows is er white 
gent’man rid up ter Marse Gen’l Bennin’ an’ talked 
ter ’im kinder low lak an’ den rid off. Well, us 
camped right whar us wuz, widout no tents ner 
nothin’; us jes’ wropped up in our blankets an’ went 
ter sleep. Ah nuvver knowed nothin’ else tell ’bout 
daybreak when Ah waked up feelin’ mighty cur’os 


OL’ SAL 


19 


fer Ah couldn’ see nothin’ but jes’ white ev’ywhar. 
At fust Ah thought Ah wuz daid an’ gone ter de 
New Jeruzlem, but if Ah wuz, dey wa’nt nobody 
dar but jes’ me, an’ Ah knowed Marse Billy oughter 
be dar. Atter Ah got mer senses terwukkin’, Ah 
seed dat hit had done snowed in de night and kiv- 
ered us up haid an’ ye’rs. Ah riz up and looked 
eroun’ an’ us sho did look like er siminery, an’ when 
de bugle blowed dem mens come up lak de rezzer- 
reckshun. Mer backbone felt all creepy, jes’ lak hit 
duz when Ah sees hants, but Marse Billy he throwed 
back ’is haid an’ laff an’ axed me wus Ah seein’ 
sperrits. Ah knowed us wuz all right den kaze he 
wouldn’ be talkin’ out loud ’bout sperrits ef us 
wuz over Jordan. 

“Well, us didn’t hafter bother ’bout no wood dat 
mornin’ kaze dem promissery waggins hadn’ kotch 
up wid de line an’ dey wa’nt nothin’ ter cook. Us 
jes’ rolled up our blankets an’ started on down de 
ro’d. All de time us wuz marchin’ Ah jes’ kep’ er 
studyin’ ’bout whut wuz Ah gwine ter git fer Marse 
Billy’s bre’kfus’. Ah steddied so hard dat Ah ain’t 
paid no ’tenshun ter whar Ah wuz gwine, an’ fus’ 
thing Ah knowed Ah stepped right offen de bank an’ 
rolled down in er holler. Ah got up an’ breshed 
de snow off, an’ den Ah heerd er cow say, ‘moo’, 
kinder confidenshal, lak she axin’ somebody ter 


20 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


come milk ’er. I looked aroun’ an’ dar she stood 
right behin’ me, de fattes’, sleekes’ cow yer ever 
seen, an’ she had er rope ’roun’ ’er horns lak de 
good Lord done had er tied up jes’ fer me. Ah 
knowed Marse Billy wuz mos’ starved kaze ’e 
ain’ had no bre’kfus’ ner supper ne’ther an’ dar wuz 
de cow jes’ ready ter start. 

“Ah kotch up de rope, but ’bout dat time Marse 
Billy looked back an’ he ax me whut wuz I gwine 
ter do wid dat cow—’e alius wuz too pertic’ler 
’bout other folkses biz’ness—so Ah drapped de rope 
right quick an’ squatted down side de cow an’ hilt 
up mer canteen. 

“Ah’s jes’ gwine ter milk dis cow,’ sez Ah, ‘she ax¬ 
in’ ter be milked an’ Ah sho’ is de nigger fer ter do de 
job.’ 

“ ’E laff and pitch me ’is canteen and went on. 
Atter Ah done filled up bofe er dem canteens Ah 
looked back an’ see ’tain’ nobody eroun’ but some 
mo’ private foot sodgers lak me and Marse Billy, 
only dey wuz different f’om Marse Billy kaze dey 
sho’ wuz willin’ ter let yer ten’ ter yer biz’ness. One 
uv ’em wunk at me an’ p’inted ter Marse Billy way 
up de line an’ Ah kotch up de rope an’ fell in. Dem 
sodgers commenst fer ter laff at me an’ ax me wuz 
Ah gwine ter start er dairy, an’ when wuz Ah gwine 
ter churn. 


OL’ SAL 


21 


“I tol’ ’em dat if dey raze a ’sturbance Marse 
Billy sho’ gwine mek me tu’n dat cow er loose an’ 
den dey wouldn’ nobody git no hot soup fer dinner. 
Wid dat dey sho’ shet up dey fuss and kinder 
spreaded out roun’ me an’ de cow. 

“Well, us went on down de road’ bout er mile 
’fo’ us had no trouble, an’ den one er dem sodgers 
sez ter me, ‘Look out, Nigger, look out!” 

“Ah looked up an’ seed er white lady cornin’ down 
de road callin’, ‘Sook, Sook, come erlong, Sal!’ 

“Ah knowed jes’ whut Marse Billy gwine ter do 
ter me ef dat ’ooman kotch me wid ’er cow, an’ mer 
heart drapped jes’ lak hit tryin’ ter git out er de 
hole in mer shoe. 

“Ah heerd ’er ax at de front er de line ’bout de 
cow an’ Marse Billy ’e told er dat we done pass 
’er ’bout er mile back, an’ wid dat she start on down 
de line. Ah knowed hit wa’nt safe ter ris’ merse’f 
wid dat cow no longer. Ah looked aroun’ an’ seed 
Marse Cap’n Jimmy Johnson ridin’ erlong an’ Ah 
knowed dat ’ooman wouldn’ dast ter ax y im fer ’er 
cow ef she seed ’im wid it, leastways Ah wouldn’ 
ef Ah wuz in ’er place, so Ah jes’ retched up easy 
lak an’ tied de een’ er de rope in de ring back er 
Marse Cap’n Jimmy’s saddle, an’ den stepped back 
in de line an’ commenst fer ter ’ten ter mer biz’- 
ness. 


22 


CONFED’RIC' GOV 


“Gentermens! dat ’ooman fooled me. When 
she seed ’er cow she stopped right in front er 
Marse Cap’n Jimmy an’ ax ’im whut ’e gwine ter 
do wid ’er cow. ’E tuk off ’is hat perlite, lak ’e do 
ter de ladies at home, an’ tell ’er ’e sorry but ’e ain’ 
seed ’er cow, den ’e gethered up de reins lak ’e 
gwine ter ride on. Dat ’ooman tuk holt er ’is 
bridle an’ shuck ’er finger in ’is face an’ call ’im all 
de kin’s uv er rebel whut she think ’e is an’ tell ’im 
ter tu’n ’er cow erloose. 

“Marse Cap’n Jimmy ’e don’ say nothin’. ’E jes’ 
look at ’er er minnit an’ den ’e lam ’is spurrers in 
’is hosse’s side lak ’e think ’e better ride on ’fo’ ’e 
say sump’n. Hit don’ do no good kaze dat ’ooman 
hilt onter dat bridle an’ let out some er de stiffes’ 
langwidge yer ever heerd. Yes, sir, a Georgia 
Majer would er been proud er dem words. Marse 
Cap’n Jimmy ain’ no mean han’ ’isse’f but ’e reck- 
ernize de fack dat ’e done been beat at ’is own fig- 
gers an’ ’e jes’ tek off ’is hat an hilt it under ’is arm 
an’ give ’er one er dem smilin’ bows whut ’e uster 
use on Marse Billy’s sister. ‘I’m sorry, ma’am/ 
sez ’e, ‘but I really ain’t seed yer cow’, den ’e kick 
’e hoss so hard dat ’e jerk de bridle loose and rid 
off widout lookin’ back. Gentermen! if you all wuz 
growed up Ah could tell yer whut dat ’ooman said, 
but ’tain’ no talk fer chilluns. W’en she seed ’e 


OL’ SAL 


23 


wa’nt gwine give up de cow she jes’ wave ’er ap’on 
an’ call, ‘Good-bye, ol’ Sal, de dam’ Rebels is got 
yer.’ ’Peard ter me lak dat cow knowed ’er voice, 
kaze she spreaded out ’er laigs an’ stop so sho’t 
dat she mos’ je’k Marse Cap’n Jimmy’s hoss out 
f’om under ’im. ’E look eroun’ an’ ’fo’ ’e could git 
out er good cuss word—an’ ’e ain’ no slow man 
ne’ther—dat cow she histed er tail an’ tuk off up 
dat line lak bats f’om de bad place. She went f’om 
de back een’ ter de front een’ bellerin’ an’ er pawin’ 
lak de 01’ Boy ’isse’f. Marse Cap’n Jimmy’s hoss 
look mighty s’prized lak, but ’e foller de cow back- 
’ards an’ dey knocks over sodgers lak a mowin’ 
masheem. Dat cow did mix up Marse Billy’s com- 
p’ny scan’l’us; hit didn’ tek er but ’bout five minnits 
ter do whut dem Yankees ain’ done yit. I ain’ 
nuvver seed sich er mess er confusion as dat cow 
made wid dem sodgers dat day. Dey ’uz er rollin’ 
an’ er cussin’ in dat snow an’ mud tell de rope give 
way an’ de cow lit out down de road fer home.” 
Here the old darkey paused and chuckled with much 
enjoyment. 

“What did Captain Jimmy do to you when he 
found out?” asked William. 

“Nothin’. ’E ain’t nuvver fouri’ out. W’en ’e 
ax dem sodgers ’bout hit, ’peared lak didn’t none 
uv ’em know nothin’, an’ I sho’ ain’ tol’ kaze Ah 


24 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


had done seed de whites uv Marse Cap’n Jimmy’s 
eyes w’en ’e look back an’ seed dat cow, whut ’e 
ain’ nuvver saw befo’, tied ter de back uv ’is 
saddle. 

“Didn’t my grandfather have any dinner?” asked 
Robert. 

“Sho’! W’en us got back ter camp us drunked 
dem canteens full er milk whut de cow lef’ behin’. 
Atter Marse Billy done drunk de las’ drop ’e look 
at me out er de corner uv ’is eye an’ ’e say, ‘Dave, 
you wuz shootin’ fer bigger game dan whut you got 
dat time.’ 

“ ’Yas, ser, Marse Billy,’ sez Ah, ‘but Ah sho’ is 
glad Ah milked ’er ’fo’ she lef’ an’ maybe de good 
Lord’ll send sump’n else ’fo’ mornin’: I sho’ is 
gwine ter lissen fer ’Im ter talk.’ 

“Dat wuz de wust night ever come offen de cal¬ 
endar. Us wuz too tired ter move an’ de promis- 
sery waggins hadn’ come an’ us didn’ have nothin’ 
ter eat an’ no tents. Us laid down by de camp fire 
an’ I kinder quirled merse’f up ’roun Marse Billy’s 
foots fer ter keep ’em warm an’ fus’ thing Ah 
knowed I wuz ’sleep. 

“Jes’ ’fo’ day Ah woked up and foun’ all er 
Marse Billy’s kivers on me an’ ’e wuz er settin’ by 
de camp fire wid ’is haid in ’is han’s. My heart mos’ 
busted fer ’im w’en Ah seed de shiny draps runnin’ 


OL’ SAL 


25 


thoo ’is fingers, kaze Ah knowed ’e wuz hongry an’ 
sick, fer ’e folks. Seemed lak Ah heerd ol’ Miss say, 
‘Dave, you tek keer er mer baby fer me.’ Ah 
knowed Ah had done promis’ dat Ah would. 

“Ah croped out fum dem kivers an’ went on tell 
Ah found anuther nigger dat wuz woke. Ah 
knowed Ah couldn’ wake none ’dout raisin’ a ’sturb- 
ance. Me an’ dat nigger jes’ snuck erlong tell us 
got ter de gyard. ’E ax us whar us wuz gwine an’ 
Ah tole ’im us wuz gwine atter bre’kfus’. ’E tole 
us ter go ter hit, an’ ’e gimme fo’ mo’ niggers an’ 
some sacks. Us scoured dat country fer ’bout fo’ 
miles, speshally de hen rooses and de tater hills, an’ 
Man! W’en us got back us had bre’kfus’.” 

“Whut Marse Billy do ter yer ’bout stealin’ dem 
chickens?” asked Regiment, forgetting his retire¬ 
ment. 

“Who dat talkin’ ’bout stealin’?” demanded his 
grandfather reaching for his stick. “Yer black 
rascal, git up outen dat grass an’ go atter dem 


cows. 


CHAPTER II 


ENLISTED 


C \A/’ H0 ’ S ^ at ’ ooman er cryin’ en er gwine on in 
Marster’s office?” asked old Dave, of William, 
as he and Robert came into the barn where the old 
man and Reggie were turning some new hay that 
had been put up too soon on account of an untime¬ 
ly storm. 

“ ’Taint nobody but Aunt Mary Jones,” answered 
Robert, making a headlong dive into the hay. 

“Whut ails ’er? She ain’t took de ’flooenzy is 
she, er dat new sleepin’ ’zeze whuts gwine ’roun’ 
in de papers?” 

“No,” answered William, “but I reckon you’d 
cry, too, if you were in her place.” 

“Yer reckon?” asked the old man doubtfully. 
Then as William didn’t seem disposed to part with 
any superfluous information he asked, “She ain’t 
cornin’ thoo is she? Ah ain’t heerd er no meetin’s 
gwine on ’roun’ hyr.” 

“No,” answered the boy, impressively, “her son’s 
been drafted.” 

“Been which?” 

“Drafted.” 


(26) 


ENLISTED 


27 


“Whar at? ’Tain’t hu’t ’im much is it?” asked 
the old man, becoming more curious as his bewild¬ 
erment increased. 

“No, not yet, but he may get killed,” was the 
impressive answer. “You see, when a man’s draft¬ 
ed he has to go> to the war whether he wants to 
or not.” 

Light dawned on the old man’s black face as he 
leaned for an instant on his hay fork. “Grafted,” 
he said slowly. “Me an Marse Billy didn’ know 
nothin’ ’bout no graftin’ when us went ter de war; 
us called hit conscripchurin’. All de quality went 
kaze dey wanted ter go an’ de ha’f strainers an’ de 
trash went kaze dey wuz conscripchured lak dat 
nigger yer talkin’ ’bout now.” 

“Well, ‘drafted’ is what the papers call it and I 
guess they know as much as you do about it, even 
if you did go to the war with my grandfather,” and 
William turned away indignantly. 

“Grafted er conscripchured, hit’s all de same,” 
chuckled the old man reflectively. “Anyway hit 
won’t hu’t me none kaze Ah ain’t got nothin’ ter 
graf’ ’cepin’ Reggie dar, an’ de 01’ Boy wouldn’ 
graf’ him ter keep ’is fiah up ef ’e knowed how 
triflin’ ’e wuz ’bout totin’ in wood. Me an’ Marse 
Billy went ter de war kaze nobody couldn’ keep us 
fom gwine an’ hit would er took mo’ den er graf’ 
ter keep us home.” 


28 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


Instantly William was mollified. Here was a 
chance for a story. He came back and seated him¬ 
self in the fragrant, half-cured hay through which 
Reggie and Robert were constructing tunnels. 

“Uncle Dave,” he said, “my grandfather was 
such a good soldier, why wasn’t he an officer?” 

Old Dave likewise seated himself after investi¬ 
gating his pockets for his plug of tobacco before 
answering. “Yer mighty right when yer say yo’ 
granpaw wuz er good sodger. Marse Robert an’ 
Marse Baldy wuz bofe orficers, Marse Robert in 
de kevelry an’ Mars^ Baldy in de artillery, an’ 
whilst Marse Billy wuz jes’ ez good er sodger ez 
dey wuz, an’ done er sight mo’ sho’ ’nuff fightin’, 
us wa’nt ol’ ’nuff ter jine de gine’ls an’ de cap’ns. 
Hit wuz all us could do ter git in de privates. 

“Yer see Marse Billy’d been ’stracted ter go 
sence de day w’en ’is brudders dressed up in dey 
nuniforms an’ rid off in de kerridge wid dey bag¬ 
gage en dey body-servants. Marse Robert alluz 
wuz full er mischeevious pranks en ’e tease Marse 
Billy ’bout bein’ too li’l ter go, en rid off laffin’, but 
Mrase Baldy jes’ put ’is han’s on Marse Billy’s 
shoulders en tol’ ’im ter keep keer uv ’is Ma whilst 
’e’s erway en den, jes’ ’fo’ ’e lef’, ’e say, ‘Billy, yer 
kin have mer new rifle en mer sorrel colt. She’ll be 
ready ter break by fall,’ en wid dat ’e jump in de 


ENLISTED 


29 


kerridge wid Marse Robert en 01’ Marster en druv 
off, whilst Derry en Zack rid on behin’. 

“Well, sir, dat night atter Ah’d he’ped mer mam¬ 
my clean up in de kitchen—she wuz 01’ Marster’s 
main cook—Ah wuz er gwine on back ter de quar¬ 
ter w’en Ah seed one er de stable do’s open en Ah 
thought Unc’ Peter had forgot ter shet hit. Ah 
went up ter de do’ en Ah seed Marse Billy wid ’is 
face down in de sorrel colt’s mane en bofe arms 
’roun’ ’er neck. Ah knowed ’e wouldn’ want me 
ter see ’im cryin’ lak dat so Ah jes’ slipped out de 
way Ah come but Ah heerd ’im say, ‘Nemmine, 
Fleta, we’s ergwine too’—en Ah knowed ’e meant 
hit. 

“De nex’ mawnin’ Miss Lucy went on back ter 
school, en long ’bout de middle er de eb’nin’ us 
went back ter Penfield whar us wuz gwine ter school 
but Marse Billy nuvver did pay no mo’ ’tenshun ter 
’is books atter dat. Eb’y time ’e went home uv er 
Friday eb’nin’ ’e’d tease Ol’ Marster ter let ’im go. 

“Dis kep’ up fer ’bout two mont’s—01’ Marster 
would ’suade ’im ter go on back ter school, ’e’d 
tell ’im dat ’e wuz too young—dat de ’lis’ment or- 
ficers wouldn’ tek ’im in, but Marse Billy jes’ beg 
’im ter let ’im try anyhow. 

“One day whilst dis wuz er gwine on Marse Bil¬ 
ly got er letter f’om Miss Lucy en hit didn’ come 


30 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


thoo de mail—deef Jerry rid over en foch hit. 
W’en Ah tuk de letter Ah didn’ ax ’im nothin’ 
’bout whut wuz in hit kaze Ah knowed Marse Bil- 
ly’d tell me ’isse’f, en den, too, Ah nuvver could git 
not saterfaction out er axin’ ’im nothin’ ’count er 
’im bein’ so hard er hearin’. 

“Ah jes’ tuk de letter on out ter Marse Billy 
whar ’e wuz settin’ under er big tree tryin’ ter steddy 
’is lessons wid er newspaper spreaded out ober ’is 
book. 

“ ’E tuk de letter en Ah sot down on de grass ter 
wait ez ’e mos’ alluz read ’is letters ter me atter ’e 
read ’em ter ’isse’f. Howsomever, ’e read dis one 
thoo en didn’ say nothin’, ’e jes’ sot still lookin’ 
way off. Bymeby ’e read hit thoo ergin en den ’e 
say, ‘Dave, Baldwin has been kilt in ’is fust squirm- 
ish. De Souf has los’ one uv ’er bes’ mens en Ah’m 
ergwine ter tek ’is place. We is gwine home ter- 
reckly atter dinner en you kin pack mer bags now.’ 

“On de way ter de house Marse Billy met de 
school marster en tol’ ’im whut ’e wuz gwine ter do. 
De marster shuck han’s wid ’im en say ’e don’ blame 
’im fer gwine, an’ dat ’e gwine ter ’lis’ ’isse’f jes’ 
ez soon ez school wuz out. ’E say de biggis’ er 
’is scholars wuz already gone en ’e didn’ hab nothin’ 
but er passel er li’l’ boys dat wuz too young ter go, 
en dey wuz er drillin’ en er gwine on all de time 
’stid er steddyin’ dey books. 


ENLISTED 


3 i 


“W’en us got home dat night OF Marster met 
us at de do’ but ’e didn’ say nothin’ ’tall, ’e jes’ put 
’is arm ’roun’ Marse Billy en tuk ’im on in Miss 
Calline’s room whar Miss Lucy wuz already at. 

“Ah know’d ’e wouldn’ hab de heart ter tell ’em 
whut ’e wuz ’termined ter do dat night en Ah went 
on ter de quarter whar eb’y nigger wuz er moanin’ 
fer Marse Baldy. 

“De nex’ night atter Marse Billy had done tol’ 
01’ Marster dat ’e jes’ couldn’ stay out de war no 
longer Ah wuz er settin’ out on de hoss block ter 
hear how ’e come out en Ah heerd 01’ Marster 
talkin’ ter Miss Calline lak ’e tryin’ ter reason wid 
’er. ’E tell ’er dat Marse Billy done come home 
fer ter go ter de war, en dat ’e don’ ’zackly see how 
’e gwine ter keep ’im back. 

“Den Ah heerd Miss Calline say, ‘Oh, Willum, 
’e is mer baby! Sho’ly you ain’ goin’ ter let ’em 
hab ’im, too’—en she wuz cryin’ easy lak. 

“OF Marster kep’ on talkin’ en ’suadin’, ’e tell 
’er dat Marse Billy won’ go right straight ter de 
war, but dat ’e’ll be sont ter ’Lanta ter trainin’ 
camp fer six mont’s en dat de war wuz mo’ ’en ap’ 
ter be ober by den. ’E say, too, dat if de war kep’ 
on an’ Marse Billy got called, it ’ud be better fer 
’im ter know how ter fight an’ tek keer uv ’isse’f 
w’en ’e did go. 


32 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


“Bymeby Miss Calline say dat if ’e want Marsc 
Billy ter do dat, she ain’t got no mo’ ter say, but 
she cry some mo’ en 01’ Marster jes’ sot dar in de 
moonlight wid ’is arm ’roun’ ’er an’ don’ say nothin 
fer er long time. 

“W’en Ah went upsta’rs nex’ mawnin’ fer ter 
wake Marse Billy up ’e wuz already dressed. 01’ 
Marster had done tol’ ’im whut day had ’cided en 
’e wuz ’stracted ter git off. ’E say ’e ain’ gwine ter 
tek me wid ’im kaze dey don’ ’low body-servants in 
de privates—en ’sides dat ’e say ’e ol’ ’nuff ter tek 
keer uv ’isse’f. 

“Ah ax ’im who gwine ter bresh ’is clo’es, en 
who gwine ter shine ’is shoes, en who gwine ter git 
’is shavin’ water ginst ’e git ol’ ’nuff ter shave, but 
’tain’ no use, ’e say Ah ain’ gwine. 

“Dat day Marster made ’rangements fer ’im ter 
go wid Cap’n Farmer’s comp’ny ef ’e could git in. 
De comp’ny wuz ter leave Crawfordsville on Wenz- 
day uv dat week en us had ter go on Chusedy which 
wuz de nex’ day. 

“W’en Ah packed Marse Billy’s bags Ah packed 
mine, too, en whilst Ah wuz er shinnin’ ’roun’ de 
house fer ter keep Marse Billy f’om seein’ em, 01’ 
Marster come erlong en ax me wuz bofe er dem 
Marse Billy’s bags. 

“ ‘Yes, sir,’ Ah sez, ‘dey is bofe Marse Billy’s 


ENLISTED 


33 


jes’ lak Ah is Marse Billy’s. W’en ’e go Ah goes 
’long wid de res’ uv ’is baggage.’ 

“OP Marster didn’ say nothin’ but Ah knowed 
’e wuz pleased en ’e mus’ er tol’ Miss Calline kaze 
she come ’roun’ ter de kitchen en say how glad she 
wuz dat Ah wuz gwine. 

“She stood dar wid ’er li’l’ white han’ on mer 
sleeve en she wuz so li’l’ an’ pale, an’ ’er chin 
trimbled so dat she couldn’ hardly talk. She say, 
‘Dave, Ah’m so glad yer is gwine wid ’im. ’E’s 
sich er li’l’ boy ter me—tek keer uv ’im, Dave, en 
bring ’im back ter me no matter whut happens. 
Don’ let ’em leave ’im on de battlefiel’ lak dey done 
Baldwin.’ 

“De Lawd knows Ah tried ter promise OP Miss 
whut she wanted but Ah couldn’ git mer Adam’s 
apple swallered in time ter say nothin’—Ah dunno 
whut de real use er dem things is but dey sho’ is 
pow’ful onhandy when day’s any kin’ uv bereave¬ 
ment gwine on. Ah heerd Marse Billy cornin’ en 
Ah hurried on out de back do’ whilse ’e tol’ OP 
Marster dat ’e’d ride de sorrel colt in, en dat Ah 
c’ud go on wid ’is baggage en bring er back. Ah 
heerd all dat but Ah nuvver said nothin’ kaze Ah 
knowed Ah wa’nt de nigger whut ’ud ride dat sorrel 
home. 

“W’en Ah stropped de bags on de mule Ah put 


34 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


Marse Billy’s fiddle on de off side whar ’e could’n 
see hit. ’E hadn’ said nothin’ ’tall ’bout tekin’ it 
but Ah knowed de time wuz cornin’ w’en ’e’d need 
dat fiddle ter talk ter ’im en ’splain things. 

u W’en Marse Billy tol’ ’em all good-bye—eben 
ter de li’l’ niggers—us rid off. Marster didn’ go dis 
time kaze ’e wouldn’ leab Miss Calline, en when 
us went ’roun’ de ben’ er de road us seed ’im stand- 
in’ under de pink rose vine by de gate wid ’is arms 
’roun’ ’er, en Miss Lucy on t’other side wavin’ 
bofe er li’l’ white han’s. 

“W’en us got ter town Ah tuk Fleta en de mule 
ter de lib’ry stable en den Ah follered Marse Billy 
on ter de ’lis’ment camp. ’E tuk ’is place in line en 
w’en hit come ’is tu’n wid de ’lis’ment orficer ’e 
stan’ up mighty straight en try ter look tall. 

“De man look at ’im—up en down, en up en 
down—en ax ’im how much do ’e weigh, en how ol* 
is ’e. 

“Marse Billy tell ’im dat ’e weigh so much en dat 
’e gwine on sixteen. 

“ ‘Yes,’ he say, ‘en Ah think yer got ’bout twelve 
mo’ mont’s ter go. Yer ain’ ol’ ’nuff ner big ’nuff 
ter git in heah, son, so yer better gwan back home’ 
—en ’e motion fer de nex’ man. 

“W’en Marse Billy see ’e cyan’ go atter all ’is 
trouble, ’e jes’ leant up erginst dat tent pole en 


ENLISTED 


35 


commenst fer ter cry—Ah sho’ wuz ’shamed uv ’im 
fer cryin’ lak dat ’fo’ er whole comp’ny full er 
sodgers.” 

“De ’lis’ment orficer bit ’is moustash lak ’e tryin’ 
ter keep de cornders uv ’is mouf down en ’e say, 
‘Well den, gwan baby, yer ain’ gwine no furder den 
’Lanta nowhow’—en dat’s how me en Marse Billy 
got in de war.” 


CHAPTER III 


BULL RUN 


S stayed in Crawfordsville all dat day. Marse 



Billy got ’is nuniform en ’e sho’ look scrumpt¬ 
ious in hit—do’ hit wuz some too big. De yuther 
sodgers tease ’im er right smart ’bout bein’ er baby, 
dey nuvver did stop callin’ ’im li’l’ ’un. Mos’ uv ’em 
wuz quality f’om ’roun’ home, howsomever, en dey 
didn’ git too rough wid ’im—dat is cep’n’ one man, 
Pinkston by name, en ’e sho’ wuz er ugly white 
man. F’om de ermount er whiskers ’e had you’d 
er thought de Ol’ Marster made ’im en den seed ’is 
face needed kivverin’ up. Well, sir, dat man fol- 
lered Marse Billy all day, ’e tease ’im tell dey wa’nt 
no reason in hit. ’E talk ’bout how nice ’is ha’r 
curl en ax ’im whut kin’ er razor do ’e nuse. ’E 
kep’ hit up tell bymeby Marse Billy jump on ’im en 
’sprize ’im so dat ’e jes’ nachelly beat de liber outen 
’im fo’ ’e c’d git ’e breff. 

“Gentermens! w’en dat man got up you’d er 
thought ’e would er been mad but ’e sho wuz er 
frien’ ter Marse Billy f’om dat time on. ’E druv 
one er de ^wberlances en many er day w’en de res’ 
er de comp’ny wuz er marchin’ long in de rain en de 


(36) 


BULLRUN 


37 


snow, Marse Billy wuz quirled up under de tents 
in Pinkston’s ^mberlance, en dey wa’nt er man in 
de comp’ny dat ’ud er tol’ on ’im ne’ther. 

“De troop train wuz ter leab ’fo’ day nex’ 
mawnin’ en ’long ’bout de middle er de ebenin’ 
Marse Billy tol’ me ter git de hosses en gwan home 
’fo’ night. Ah knowed dey wa’nt no use argyin’ wid 
’im en Ah went on lak Ah wuz er doin’ whut ’e 
say, mo’ ’speshly sence ’e look lak ’e ’shamed ter 
hab me follerin’ ’im ’roun’. 

“Ah didn’ know jes’ how Ah wuz gwine ter 
manage hit, en wuz er stan’in’ behin’ de ’lis’ment 
tent projeckin’ wid merse’f ’bout hit w’en dat same 
man Marse Billy had jes’ whupped come erlong 
en ax me whut is Ah doin’ dar. 

“Ah tol’ ’im all erbout hit en how Ah ain’ got 
no idee er lettin’ Marse Billy git off ter dat war by 
’isse’f. 

“De man ’gree wid me en tol’ me ter go tell 
Marse Billy ‘good-bye’ en den come on back ter } im. 
Ah done ’jes’ whut ’e tol’ me ter do, en atter Ah’d 
fixed Marse Billy’s baggage—’scusin’ de fiddle— 
on de train Ah tol’ ’im ‘good-bye’ en went on back 
ter de stable en ’ranged ’bout de hosses. Atter dat 
Ah gethered up de res’ er de baggage en went ’roun’ 
er back street ter de train. Mr. Pinkston wuz er 
waitin’ fer me en ’e tuk me in er baggage cyar en 


38 


CONFED’RIC GOV 


gimme er place ter sleep on er pile er tents, en 
gentermens! Ah nuvver knowed w’en dat troop 
train pulled out. 

“Us wuz mos’ ter ‘Lanta w’en Ah woked up, but 
Ah dassen’t git. out er dat cyar tell de train stop en 
de sodgers started ter pilin’ out. Ah gethered up 
mer stuff en run ter de cyar whut Ah’d seed Marse 
Billy git on, en w’en ’e step down Ah tuk *is bags 
en retched fer ’is gun—Ah alluz had toted it w’en 
us went huntin’. Gentermens! ’e snatch dat gun 
back en tol’ me, dam’ me, git out ’is way, en ’e step 
in line wid de yuthers en march on totin’ ’is own 
gun; en ’e ain’ nuvver look back at me ’tall. 

“Ah sho’ wuz hurted wid ’im kaze ’e ain’ nuv¬ 
ver cuss me befo’, but whut ’e say den wuzn’t nothin’ 
ter whut ’e say w’en ’e got me off ter merse’f. ’E 
tol’ me dat ef Ah didn’ gwan back home ’e wuz 
gwine ter sell me jes’ ez soon ez us got ter whar 
us wuz gwine—’e say ’e knowed ’e couldn’ sell me 
’roun’ dar kaze dey wouldn’ nobudy whut knowed 
me, hab me. Ah wa’nt ’sturbed much ’bout whut 
’e say kaze none er ouah fambly had eber sol’ er 
nigger en Ah didn’ reely b’l’eve Marse Billy wuz 
gwine do dat. 

“All dat day en de nex’ Ah kep’ outer ’is way 
en hung ’roun’ Mr. Pinkston. Ah sutney did wuck 
fer dat man kaze ’e seemed ter be de onlies’ friend 


BULLRUN 


39 


Ah had. Ah sho’ Lawd wanted ter go back home 
er heap sight wusser dan Marse Billy wanted me 
ter go, only somehow Ah bleeged ter stay. 

“ ’Twuz ’bout er week ’fo’ ’e’d hab nothin’ ’tall 
ter do wid me—all day ’e wuz er drillin’ en er 
gwine on en at night ’im en de yuther sodgers’d set 
’roun’ dey cookin’ fiah en laff en talk. One night 
dey started ter singin’ en Ah knowed dat wuz mer 
chanct. Ah slipped back ter de #mberlance wag- 
gin en retched under er pile er kivers en got out 
Marse Billy’s fiddle. Ah tuk hit back ter de fiah en 
ax ’im don’ ’e wanter show dem mens how ’is fiddle 
kin talk. 

“ ’E cuss me ergin en ax me howcome Ah done 
steal ’is fiddle, but de mens had done seed hit en dey 
wouldn’ nothin’ do ’em but ’e mus’ gib em er chune, 
en ’twa’nt long ’fo’ dat fiddle wuz er singin’ en 
Ah wuz er dancin’ jes’ lak us used ter do in de 
quarter back home w’en all de niggers, en de white 
folks, too, wuz er heap sight happier den whut dey 
is been sence. 

“Well, sir, Marse Billy couldn’ be mad wid me 
no mo’ atter dat, en ’twa’nt long ’fo’ Ah wuz doin’ 
’is cookin’ en waitin’ on ’im jes’ lak us wuz at home, 
en de trufe is us had er right smart uv er good time 
whilst us wuz in ’Lanta which wuz ’bout three 
weeks in all. 


40 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


“One mawnin’ us got word dat us wuz ter move 
ter de front—Ah didn’ know nothin’ ’tall ’bout 
whar de front wuz, en Ah wuz pow’ful saterfied 
whar Ah wuz at, but dey didn’ ax me nothin’ ’tall 
’bout hit. Dey said us wuzn’t ter do no fightin’ 
right erway, us wuz jes’ ter drill behin’ de lines 
whar us cu’d learn faster ’bout bein’ sodgers. Ez 
fer me, Ah didn’ wanter learn no mo’ en whut Ah 
hed ter, en ez fer Marse Billy, ’e wuz er Iearnin’ er 
sight too fas’ ter suit me, but dey didn’ ax me noth¬ 
in’ ’bout dat ne’ther—dey jes’ said, ‘move,’ en move 
us did. 

“ ’Twa’nt no sich er move ez us made w’en us 
lef’ Crawfordsville, dis wuz er move. Dey wuz 
sodgers en hosses en waggins by de hund’ed; dey 
wuz cannons en amberlances en ammernishon wag- 
gins, en hit ’peared ter me l^k ef de Yankees had 
all er dem things ter kill folks wid dat me en Marse 
Billy had er mighty slim chanct ter git back ertall. 

“ ’E sho’ wuz high up fer gwine, howsomeber, en 
w’en ’is reg’ment march thoo de streets ter de train 
’is haid wuz up an ’e wuz singin’ ‘Dixie’ wid re 
res’. All de ’Lanta folks wuz lined up on de side er 
de ro’d er hurrahin’ en er wavin’ dey hats— ef 
you’ll notice hit’s mos’ alluz de folks whut stays at 
home dat kicks up de mos’ racket w’en deys any 
fightin’ er gwine on. 


BULLRUN 


4i 


“Us lef’ ’Lanta on Friday, de nineteent’ uv July. 
Marse Billy had done ’scused me now en Ah rid in 
de cyars wid de sodgers, but Lawd! hit wuz de hot- 
tes’ place Ah eber seed up ter dat time. Ah don’ 
think nobody slep’ none ertall fer dem two nights us 
wuz on de train—us wuz too crowded up—en w’en 
Ah stepped offen dat cyar on Sunday mawnin’ Ah 
didn’ hab no mo’ sense dan to thank de Lawd dat 
de trip wuz ober. Ef Ah’d knowed whut wuz corn¬ 
in’, en ef hit’d been lef’ ter me, us would er been rid- 
in’ on dat cyar now. 

“Soon ez de mens wuz all off de train, en ’fo’ 
dey had no bre’kfus’ ’tall, Cap’n Farmer ordered 
’is men ter stan’ at ’tenshun wid de res’ er de reg’- 
ment whilst Gine’l Bennin’ made ’em er speech. 
Us hadn’ seed Gine’l Bennin’ befo’, do ’e wuz ouah 
gine’l. 

“ ’E wuz er smallish stout man whut set ’is hoss 
mighty straight en hilt ’isse’f up lak ’e tryin’ ter 
look tall. ’E had er heap er black whiskers en er 
pow’ful loud voice en ’e rid up befo’ de lines en 
straightened ’isse’f up en made ’is speech. 

“ ’E tol’ us dat dey wuz er battle gwine on at 
Bull Run en dat de Yankees wuz er whuppin’ us ter 
hell, en ’e ax us don’ us wan’ er go he’p oP Long- 
street out. 

“Ez fer me, Ah didn’ keer nothin’ ’bout no long 


42 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


street ner no short street ne’ther kaze Ah hadn’ 
seed ’em, but dem white mens commenst yellin’ lak 
de gine’l wuz er passin’ out free tickets ter er circus 
en ’twa’nt no time ’fo’ dat whole reg’ment wuz er 
double-quickkin’ it down de big road en Ah wuz er 
stan’in’ on dat depot flatform by merse’f waitin’ fer 
somebody ter tell me whut ter do. 

“Ah’d done been livin’ under ’structions all mer 
life en Ah sho’ didn’ know whut ter do widout ’em 
Ol’ Marster’s ’structions wuz ter foller Marse Bil¬ 
ly en keep ’im out er debilment—en de good Lawd 
knowed Ah couldn’ alluz do dat. Miss Calline’s 
’structions wuz ter foller ’im en tek keer uv ’im, 
whuch Ah done. She wa’nt nigh ez onreasonable 
ez Marster wuz en Ah gin’ally follered ’er ’struct¬ 
ions. Sometimes Ah got inter de debilment wid ’im 
but Ah sho’ coch hit f’om Marster ef ’e foun’ hit 
out. 

“Ah stood dar tell Ah seed dat dey ain’ nobody 
gwine tell me nothin’ en den Ah tuk out down de 
road follerin’ de dus’ dem sodgers kicked up. Ah 
don’ ’spose Ah’d er coch up wid Marse Billy tell 
yit ef Mr. Pinkston hadn’ overtook me an ax me 
whar wuz Ah gwine. 

“Ah tol’ ’im dat Ah wuz er tryin’ ter ketch up wid 
Marse Billy en dat dey wuz gwine ter be er fight on 
de long street, whareber dat wuz, en Ah bleeged ter 
fin’ ’im kaze ’e mout git hu’t. 


BULLRUN 


43 


“ ’E tol’ me ter git in de waggin wid ’im kaze ’is 
tfmberlance had orders ter keep up wid de lines en 
dat Vd tek me spang up ter de fightin’. Lawd 
knows Ah didn’ rightly wan’ter go no closter ter de 
fightin’ den whut Ah wuz—de soun’ wuz ’nuff fer 
me—but Ah bleeged ter go so Ah got in dat wag- 
gin ’long wid ’im. Dem mules sho’ made time, hit 
look lak dey ain’ got no mo’ sense dan de white 
mens kaze dey fair had de bits in dey teefs. 

“ ’Twa’nt long ’fo’ us wuz trabblin’ ober groun’ 
whar dey had already been er fightin’ en daid mens 
en daid hosses wuz scattered all ober de place— 
some uv ’em wuz shot up scan’lous, dey folks 
wouldn’ er knowed ’em. W’en us got up ter whar 
us could er seed de fightin’ ef hit hadn’ been fer 
de smoke en dus’, Mr. Pinkston stop ’is waggin 
wid de yuther ^wberlances en wait fer orders. 

“ ’E tol’ me whar Ah’d mos’ likely fin’ Marse 
Billy’s reg’ment en Ah started out ’cross de fiel, 
dodgin’ bullets en tryin’ not ter step on no daid mens 
kaze Ah knowed dat wuz bad luck. 

“All at onct de bullets started ter gettin’ thicker, 
cannon balls commenst ter fly by, en dey wa’nt ’tall 
partickelr ’bout whar dey busted. Ah seed dat dey 
wuz gwinter fight ober dis groun’ some mo’ en Ah 
drapped down behin’ de fus’ rock pile Ah come ter 
kaze Ah didn’t hab no chanct ter git erway. 


44 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


“Whilst Ah wuz er tryin’ ter git merse’f ez flat 
on de groun’ ez Ah could er reg’ment er sodgers 
come er runnin’ ’crost de fiel’ en Ah knowed dey 
wuz ouah mens kaze dey nuniforms wuz gray. Dey 
wuz er quick-steppin’ it ter de front, ’dout payin' 
no ’tenshun ter de daid hosses ner de daid mens 
ne’ther, en de reg’ment ban’ wuz er playin’, ‘De 
‘Camels Is Cornin’.’ 

“W’en dey got up dost, de fus’ man Ah recker- 
nized wuz Marse Billy. ’E wuz in de front line 
marchin’ ’long wid Marse Willum Reid on one side 
en Marse John Murden on de yuther en day all had 
dey guns gripped lak dey ready ter fiah. 

“Lawd, w’en dey did fiah Ah knowed dat de heb- 
ins en de yurth mus’ sholy pass erway kaze Ah 
couldn’ see nothin’ but smoke. Ah jes’ laid dar 
wid mer face in dat rock pile en called on de Lawd. 
Ah couldn’ pray, Ah couldn’ do nothin’ but call ’Is 
name. 

“Terreckly de smoke blowed erway some en de 
bullets got er li’l’ scacer, Ah lif’s up mer haid ter 
see ef dar wuz anything lef’ dat Ah knowed but Ah 
couldn’ see de groun’ fer de piles uv daid mens. Er¬ 
way ’cross de fiel’ Ah seed Marse Billy staggerin’ 
outen de smoke, totin’ somebody. Ah runs ter 
he’p ’im en grabs de man’s foot w’en Ah sees hit 
wuz Marse Willum Reid. ’E wuz mighty nigh shot 


BULLRUN 


45 


ter pieces but ’e wa’nt daid yit en us toted ’im ’roun' 
’hin de rock pile en laid ’im down easy. Jes’ ez Ah 
wuz er straightenin’ up Ah felt somp’n mighty 
missin’ en Ah retched ’roun’ en felt dat one er dem 
Minnie balls had done tuk off ha’f er mer coat tail. 
Ah look at Marse Billy en ’e smile sorter sickish lak 
en jes’ tu’n ’roun’ en start on back ter whar de fight- 
in’ wuz still er gwine on. ’Bout dat time do’. Ah 
seed dat Marse Willum done sorter come to, en dat 
’e tryin’ ter tell Marse Billy somep’n. ’E wuz fumb¬ 
lin’ in ’is bres’ pocket en Marse Billy drap down on 
’is knees en retched in en tuk out er li’l’ white silk 
box all spattered up wid blood en ax ’im wuz dat 
whut ’e wanted. 

“ ’E signify dat hit wuz, en den ’e try ergin ter 
tell Marse Billy whut ’e wanter tell ’im but us had 
ter gib ’im water en wait er right smart while ’fo’ 
’e could speak, en den Marse Billy had ter hoi’ ’is 
ye’r down close ter hear ’im. 

“ ’E ax Marse Billy ter tek de box home ter Miss 
Lucy fer ’im en tell ’er how bad ’e wanter bring it 
’isse’f. ’E tell ’im ter ax er ter w’ar de ring fer ’im 
ez long ez she grieb, en dat ’e’d hoped fer er dif- 
fe’nt kin’ uv er furolw dan whut ’e got. 

“Atter dat ’e stop talkin’ en jes’ drap back, limp. 
Ah sot dar en look at Marse Billy er hoi’in’ ’is han’s 
en cryin’ lak er baby—’e look so liT en pitiful dat 


46 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


Ah jes’ couldn’ stan’ hit en Ah commenst fer ter 
beg ’im ter come on home. Ah tell ’im dat ’e ain’ 
ol’ ’nuff ter be in no war nohow, en dat ef Marse 
Willum wuz promised ter Miss Lucy, whuch Ah 
didn’ know nothin’ ’bout, us sho’ orter tek ’im ter 
’er now. 

“ ’Twa’nt no use beggin’, howsomeber, Marse 
Billy jes’ stood up en han’ me de box. ’E tell me 
ter tek keer uv hit ez ’e mout loss it out dar, en den 
’e wipe ’is face on ’is sleeb en gwan back ter whar 
dem big guns wuz still er mekkin’ de 01’ Boy ’shamed 
uv ’isse’f. 

“Ah knowed dat ’e lef’ de box wid me kaze ’e 
wuz skeed dat ’e wouldn’ git home no sooner dan 
Marse Willum en hit sho’ made me feel pow’ful 
bad, but Ah had ter set dar by de rock pile en see 
’im go. 

“Ah heerd mens moanin’ en cryin’ fer water but 
dey wa’nt nothin’ fer me ter do but ter wait. Ah 
tuk de water outen mer canteen en baved de smoke 
en de blood often Marse Willum’s face wid ’is own 
pocket han’cher en den straightened ’im out en fold¬ 
ed ’is han’s on ’is breas’. 

“Atter dat Ah tuk one er de needles whut Miss 
Calline gimme en sewed de li’l’ box up in de linin’ 
er mer coat kaze Ah knowed dat wuz de saftest 
place Ah had fer totin’ hit. 


BULLRUN 


47 


14 ’Bout dat time Ah seed dat de bullets en de 
Minnie balls wuz er gittin’ thicker en de fiahin’ wuz 
er gittin’ wusser en de fightin’ closer. Somebody 
sho’ wanted dat piece er groun’ dat Sunday mawnin’ 
kaze dey wuz gwine ter fight ’bout hit some mo’! 

“Ah couldn’ git erway kaze Ah wuz clean los’ 
in dat smoke en couldn’ tell norf f’om souf, ’sides 
dat Ah’d done tol’ Marse Billy dat Ah wuz gwine 
ter wait fer ’im right dar by Marse Willum. Ah 
jes’ laid down closter ter de rock pile en waited tell 
de storm wuz ober. Ah couldn’ see much fer de 
smoke but Ah ’zerned dat de mens in blue wuz er 
runnin’ lak all persessed. Dat didn’ signify nothin’ 
ter me kaze ef Marse Billy didn’ git back Ah didn’ 
keer who winned, ner who got de long street. 

“Ah waited tell atter de fightin’ slacked up en de 
smoke cleared erway some. Ah wuz mos’ ’stract- 
ed ’bout Marse Billy w’en at las’ Ah seed ’im en two 
mo’ mens er runnin’ ’twixt de lines en day wuz er 
scatterin’ ammernishon ter ouah sodgers en dey 
wuz er grabbin hit en yellin’. Jes’ ez soon ez dey 
got dey guns loaded de fightin’ started all ober 
ergin en lasted fer some time but Ah couldn’ see 
nothin ’tall fer de smoke. 

“Ah waited tell de fiahin’ had done clean stopped 
en den Ah started out ober dat fiel’ ter look fer 
Marse Billy—yer couldn’ hardly step ’twixt de daid 


48 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


mens dis time. Ah hadn’ gone fur w’en Ah seed 
’im er staggerin’ erlong wid ’is arm hangin’ limp. 
Jes’ ’fo’ Ah got ter ’im ’e stumbled en fell en Ah 
forgot all ’bout dem daid mens clutterin’ up de 
groun’. Ah jes’ runned up ter ’im en drap down 
’sides ’im en sez, ‘Yer ain’ daid is yer, honey? Yer 
sho’ is pow’ful black.’ 

“Wid dat ’e look up at me en laff wid ’is white 
teef er shinin’ en ’e say, ‘Dave, yer sho’ is de las’ 
man ter be ’scusin’ er feller er bein’ black’—’e alluz 
wuz er projeckln’ wid me ’bout bein’ so black 
merse’f. 

“W’en ’e say dat, en w’en Ah heerd ’im laff, Ah 
knowed dey wa’nt so much de matter wid ’im en 
de limpness went outer mer knees en Ah got up. Ah 
lif’ ’im en started on back ’cross de fiel’, he’pin’ ’im 
’long de bes’ Ah could. Us met er heap er sodgers 
wid stretchers, dey wuz pickin’ up de bes’ er de 
wounded en ter totin’ ’em down in er raveen whar de 
hospital tent wuz. 

“One er de mens p’inted out de shortes’ cut ter 
de place, en ez Marse Billy wuz done clean gin out, 
Ah tuk ’im on mer back en started on down de gul- 
ley. W’en us got dar one er de doctors looked at 
Marse Billy en seed ’e ain’ hurted so much en ’e 
tell me ter jes’ set ’im down out dar under er tree 
ter wait ’is tu’n. 


BULLRUN 


49 


“Ah foun’ er big pine whut wa’nt so shot up but 
dat hit could gib er liT shade en Ah fixed ’im wid 
’is back ter hit de bes’ Ah could. Ah tuk ’is can¬ 
teen en went ter er li’1’ branch fer ter git ’im some 
water but w’en Ah got dar Ah seed dat hit wuz 
runnin’ mos’ ez red ez blood, en dat hit wuz pilin’ 
full er daid mens too. 

“Ah wuz mos’ ez sick ez Marse Billy but Ah 
knowed ’e bleeged ter hab water so Ah went back 
ter dat fiel’, whar Ah’d hoped Ah nuvver would go 
ergin, en commenst ter feel ’roun’ ’mongst dem 
daid mens ter see ef Ah couldn’ fin’ er canteen wid 
er li’l’ water in hit. Ah foun’ two, one uv em had 
water en one uv em had er li’l’ somep’n else dat Ah 
sho’ wuz glad ter git. 

“Ah went on back en foun’ Marse Billy right 
whar Ah’d lef’ ’im, only ’e’d done fell ober. Ah 
got ’im ter drink er li’l’ en baved ’is face en han’s en 
atter dat ’e look lak ’e feel mo’ nachel, only ’e 
couldn’ talk none, en Ah sot up en looked ’roun’ 
er li’l’. 

“Us wuz down in er deep raveen en atter Ah’d 
been hearin’ dem big guns all day hit seemed so 
quiet hit wa’nt nachel—eben fer Sunday, which all 
dem white mens had done forgot hit wuz. Hit wuz 
sho’ hot in dat place too, er July fly wuz er singin’ 
in de big pine ober Marse Billy’s haid en ’e soun’ 


50 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


so hot you’d er thought ’e mout be er sizzlin’ in de 
01’ Boy’s fryin’ pan. Ah looked ober ter de hos¬ 
pital tent ter see ef dey wuz er chanct fer de doctors 
ter ’ten’ ter Marse Billy anytime soon en—Gawd! 
whut Ah seed made me stan’ up. 

“De tent wa’nt nothin’ but er piece er white clof 
stretched ’twixt de trees, en dey wuz er right smart 
er doctors stirrin’ ’roun’ under dar, en dey wuz er 
line er stretcher mens bringin’ de woulded f’om de 
fiel’ whar de fight wuz. Day wuz er man on de 
table en de doctors wuz er wuckkin’ on ’im wid saws 
en knives en terreckly one uv ’em come ter de do’ 
wid ’is sleebs rolled up en th’owed de man’s laig 
on er pile mos’ ez high ez Ah is. De doctors had 
been th’owin’ arms en laigs on dat pile all day en 
hit sho wuz er sick’nin’ sight. 

“Ah knowed Ah bleeged ter git Marse Billy out¬ 
er dat place ’fo’ dem doctors got ’im en Ah wa’n’ 
gwine ter be long ’bout doin’ hit. Ah laid ’im down 
so’s ’e couldn’ see nothin’ en gied ’im anudder drink 
outen de canteen. Ah tol’ ’im Ah bleeged ter step 
off ter ’ten’ ter er li’P biz’ness but dat Ah’d be right 
back. En Ah hurried off ter fin’ Mr. Pinkston. Jes 
er liT ways ’cross de fiel’ de sodgers whut de doc¬ 
tors had ’tended on wuz bein’ loaded on de ambtv- 
lances, en dar Ah foun’ ’im waitin’ fer ’is load. 

“Ah ax ’im ter step ober ter whar Marse Billy 


BULLRUN 


5i 


wuz en he’p me wid ’im er liT. ’E ax me had de 
doctors done seed ’im en Ah tol’ ’im dat Ah didn’ 
aim fer ’em ter see ’im ef Ah cu’d he’p it. Ah 
knowed ’e wa’nt hu’t much en Ah’d done wropped 
’is arm up ter stop hit f’om bleedin’ en Ah sho’ 
wuzn’ gwine ter ris’ ’im wid dem fiel’ doctors. 

“ ’E comes on wid me an looks at Marse Billy’s 
arm. ’E seed dat de bullet had went clean thoo en 
dat hit wa’nt bleedin’ none ter hu’t en ’e say ’e reck¬ 
on us mout ez well take ’im on ter Richmon’ ter de 
sho’ ’nuff hospital whar ’e knowed ’e’d be ’tended 
ter right. ’E tol’ me dat Ah couldn’ go wid ’im kaze 
’e had too big er load but ’e say dat ef Ah’d gwan 
out ter de road Ah’d be mo’ en likely ter ketch er 
ride dat erway. 

“Ah knowed Ah couldn’ go yit, Ah bleeged ter 
git somebody ter he’p me bury Marse Willum Reid. 
Ah kep’ on axin’ whar wuz Marse Billy’s comp’ny 
tell at las’ Ah foun’ whut wuz lef’ uv ’em. All de 
mens in de comp’ny knowed me now en ’twa’nt no 
trouble ter git whut Ah wanted. Two er Marse 
Willum’s cousins went in ter town en got er coffin 
en us buried ’im right dar by de rock pile.” 


CHAPTER IV 


HOME AGAIN 

“JUjTIT wuz ’long ’bout night w’en Ah got ter 
A ^Richmon’, but atter Ah got dar hit wa’n’ no 
trouble ’tall ter fin’ de hosspital kaze hit look lak 
eb’ybudy in town wuz er gwine dar. De ^mberlances 
wuz still er rumblin’ up de street wid wounded mens 
en eb’ybudy wuz tryin’ ter he’p. 

“De hosspital wuz er gre’t big white house wid 
tall posses ’roun’ de peazzer lak ouahn at home, 
only hit wuz bigger. Ah steps up ter de front do* 
en axes how wuz Marse Billy Thomas, but didn’ 
nobudy seem ter know nothin’ ’tall ’bout ’im. 

“Ah went ’roun’ ter de kitchen en knocks, er 
long yaller ’ooman comes ter de do’ en Ah axes ’er 
’bout Marse Billy. 

“She look at me en laff, impident lak, en sez, ‘Ah 
dunno nothin’ ’bout no marsters. Marsters is 
clean gone outer style ’roun’ heah.’ 

“ ‘Is dat so?’ Ah axes ez perlite ez Ah kin. Ah 
didn’ wan’er mek dat fool ’ooman mad tell Ah 
foun’ out ef she knowed anything ’bout Marse Billy. 

(52) 


HOME AGAIN 


53 


“ ‘Yes, sir,’ she ’spon’s, ‘dey is ’bout ter be back 
numbers, dey tells me.’ 

“ ‘W’en marsters gits ter be back numbers de 
nigger race’ll be er heap sight furder back dan it 
is now’, Ah answers. 

“ ‘Den Ah persoom yer don’ keer fer freedom,’ 
sez she. 

“ ‘Yer persoom kerreck ma’m, Ah got jes’ ’bout 
ez much use fer freedom ez Marse Billy’s ’possum 
dawg,’ Ah sez. ‘All Ah axes uv yer is, kin yer tell 
me how ter fin’ ’im?’ 

“ ‘By huntin’ ’im Ah ’spoze,’ en wid dat de hussy 
slams dat kitchen do’ in mer face. 

“Ah went on back ter de front en sets down on 
de steps. Ah kep’ er axin’ ’bout Marse Billy but 
Ah couldn’ fin’ out nothin’ en dey wouldn’ lemme 
in de house. Bymeby Ah leant up ’ginst one er de 
posses en drapped ter sleep en wuz so wore out 
dat de rumblin’ er de waggins en de passin’ er de 
sodgers didn’ ’sturb me none en Ah slep’ tell 
mawnin’. 

“W’en Ah woke up Ah sho’ wuz hongry—Ah 
hadn’ had nothin’ t’ eat sence de day befo’ Marse 
Billy’s reg’ment went inter dat ongawdly fight. 
Ah’d jes’ ’bout ’cided ter go ’roun’ en ax dat yaller 
blossom in de kitchen fer er piece er braid w’en Ah 
seed er kerridge cornin’ up ter de do’ en ez soon 


54 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


ez Ah seed de man inside Ah knowed mer troubles 
wuz ober. 

“Hit wuz Marse Alec Stephens en Ah don’ 
bTebe Ah coulder been no gladder ter see Ol’ 
Marster ’isse’f kaze Marse Alec done been ter 
ouah house so much ’e seem lak one er de fambly. 

“Ah steps up ter de kerridge en sez, ‘Marse 
Alec, Ah sho’ Gawd is glad ter see yer.’ 

“ ’E stop en look at me, en den ’e ax me ain’t 
Ah one er Major Thomas’s niggers, en Ah sho’ 
wuz glad ter tell ’im who Ah is en all ’bout Marse 
Billy en how Ah kain fin’ ’im. 

“Marse Alec lissen tell Ah git thoo en den ’e 
say, ‘Well, come on wid me,’ en Ah ma’ches thoo 
dat do’ lak Ah ain’ been er beggin’ ter git in fer 
mos’ two days. 

“ ’E axes ’em whar is Marse Billy, en dey don’ 
tell ’im, dey jes’ says, ‘Step disaway sir, an we’ll fin’ 
’im, fer you, ef ’e’s hyr,’ ’en dey teks us on upsta’rs 
ter whar ’e is. 

“ ’E wuz in er big white room wid er heap mo’ 
wounded sodgers en Ah sho wuz glad ter see ’im, 
do ’e do look pale en sickish. *E wuz jes’ dat glad 
ter see me, en Ah don’ b’l’ebe ’is paw could er been 
no welcomer. 

“Right by de side er de baid wuz er waiter full 


HOME AGAIN 


55 


er vittles dat Marse Billy hadn’ no mo’ en tetched. 
Ah tried ter keep f’om lookin’ at it kaze mer mouf 
watered so Ah’s skeered somebudy’d notice hit, but 
’peared lak Ah couldn’ see nothin’ but dem vittles. 

“Marse Billy seed me lookin’ at ’em en ’e say, 
‘Dave, tek dat waiter back ter de kitchen. Ah don’ 
lak ter smell hit.’ 

“ ’Bout dat time Marse Alec en er nuss come up 
en dey try ter ’suade ’im ter eat hit ’isse’f, but ’e 
tell ’em dat ’e done had all ’e want en Ah tuk hit 
up quick, ’fo’ dey tell me ter do somp’n else wid 
hit. 

“Ez Ah wuz er tekkin’ dat waiter down de hall 
Ah said ter merse’f, ‘Dave, ef yer goes ter de kitch¬ 
en wid dis vittles somp’n gwine ter happen en you 
ain’ gwine ter git hit.’ Ah seed er do’ open en Ah 
stuck mer haid in en look ’roun’. Dey ain’ nobudy 
in sight en Ah slips in easy lak en sets down ’hin’ 
er big pile er blankets, en ’twa’nt long ’fo’ dat vit¬ 
tles wuz whar nobudy couldn’ ’spute ’bout hit. Hit 
wa’nt mo’ en half ’nuff, but Ah knowed hit would 
hatter do fer er while en Ah tuk de waiter ter de 
kitchen en sets hit down ’fo’ dat half-breed yaller 
coon so’s she kin wash mer deeshes. 

“W’en Ah got back ter Marse Billy, Marse Alec 
tol’ me dat ’e’d done made ’rangements fer me ter 
stay on at de hosspital en look atter Marse Billy 


56 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


whilst ’e’s sick, do’ de doctors say ’e’ll be out in er 
week er less. Co’s’ Ah’s glad dat Marse Billy wuz 
er gittin’ on so well, but dat hosspital wuz de saft- 
est place Ah’d struck sence us lef’ home en ef ’e wuz 
in baid ’e sho’ couldn’ git inter no mo’ fightin’. Dat 
wuz one time dat Ah wushed Ah could foller 01’ 
Marster’s ’structions ’stid er Miss Calline’s kaze 
Ah’d er sight ruther kep’ ’im outer de debilment 
den ter foller ’im in. 

“All dat day ’e wuz ez spry ez er cricket, ’e don’ 
do nothin’ but talk ’bout gittin’ back ter de front 
ergin. Ez fer me, de back suited me better, but Ah 
didn’ git up no argyment wid ’im, kaze Ah knowed 
Ah couldn’ do nothin’ but let ’im go ’is rout en 
foller ’im whar hit led. ’Bout night, do, ’e didn’ 
seem so well, ’e sleep so heaby dat Ah couldn’ 
wake ’im up en Ah sho’ didn’ lak dat kaze hit wan’ 
nachel. ’E nuvver did was’ no mo’ time sleepin’ 
den whut ’e had ter, speshally ef dey’s any ’citement 
gwine on. 

“Dis kep’ up tell ’long ’bout night. Ah wan’ 
’tall pleased wid hit, but bymeby Ah draps ter sleep 
merse’f kaze Ah sho’ wuz tired. ’Bout midnight 
’e woke me up er hollerin’, ‘Dave! Dave! Dar’s 
Fleta. Don’ yer see mer hoss is er gittin’ erway?’ 

“Ah jumps up en puts ’im back in de baid en tries 
ter passify ’im but ’twan’ no use, Ah had ter hoi’ 


HOME AGAIN 


57 


’im whilst Ah’m tellin’ ’im hit wuz er nightmar’ en 
not de sorrel colt ’e seed. Ah wuz fair ’stracted en 
didn’t know whut ter do w’en er man in de nex’ 
baid tol’ me Ah better git de doctor en Ah sho’ 
nuvver los’ no time. 

“W’en de doctor got dar ’e say hit’s fever en ’e 
gimme er passel er truck ter dose ’im wid en ’e set 
dar ’isse’f tell Marse Billy got quiet. 

“W’en ’e come in de mawnin’ ’e say ’e feerd hit’s 
tarefoid fever en ’e brought er speshal nuss. Dat 
nuss sho’ wuz faithful ter Marse Billy. She put 
me in min’ er Miss Lucy she so purty en gentle, 
but Lawd! Marse Billy don’ pay no ’tenshun ter 
nothin’ dat wuz er gwine on—’e jes’ call me all de 
time, en yit ’e dunno w’en Ah’m dar. 

“Marse Alec come in eb’y mawnin’ ter see how 
’e’s gittin’ on en ’e seem ter be pow’ful oneasy—’e 
sho’ thought er sight uv Ol’ Marster. T’ings went 
on diserway fer ’bout two weeks en ’e see dat Marse 
Billy wuz er losin’ groun’ all de time en bymeby ’e 
’cides ’e better let 01’ Marster know ’bout hit. ’E 
writ ’im er letter ’splainin’ de full circumstanches 
but somehow de letter got misput en Marster didn’ 
git hit tell long atter due time. 

“Whilst us wuz er waitin’ dey didn’ seem ter be 
nothin’ us cu’d do fer Marse Billy but jes’ ter 
watch en pray, en Ah sho’ done mer sheer er dat. 


58 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


One ebenin’, ’bout sundown Ah heerd de doctor tell 
de nuss dat she better watch speshal kaze ’e ’spect- 
in’ de cryshis dat night. Ah didn’ know whut de 
cryshis wuz en Ah didn’ lak de soun’ er de word, 
but Ah didn’ lak de way dat nuss acted ne’ther. She 
didn’ res’ er minnit en skasely tuk er eyes often 
Marse Billy dat night; Ah sho wuz oneasy. 

Mars Billy ain’ ravin’ now, ’e jes’ lay dar quiet 
en don’ seem ter know nothin’ ner nobudy. *E 
so quiet en still dat Ah don’ b’l’ebe ’e gwine ter be 
dar in de mawnin’ en de good Lawd only knowed 
how bad Ah wanted 01’ Marster. All dat night ’e 
laid dar, jes’ so. Eb’y onct in er while de nuss 
would feel ’is pults en try ter git ’im ter swaller 
somp’n but dat wuz all. 

“Hit wuz de longes’ night Ah eber spent, but day 
did come atter while, en de doctor come in ’fo’ 
bre’kfus’. ’E ax de nuss some queschons en look 
Marse Billy ober keerful en feel ’is pults. Den ’e 
sorter smile en say ’e reckon de tide done tu’n en 
dat ’e got er chanct ter git well lessen ’e take er 
back set. 

“Atter de doctor went de nuss tol’ me ter go git 
some bre’kfus’ en den go off somewhar en go ter 
sleep ez Marse Billy’d be mo’ en ap’ ter call fer 
me w’en ’e wake up dis time. 


HOME AGAIN 


59 


“Well, sir! Ah lef’ ’im fer de fus’ time, en hit 
wuz de las’ time, too, kaze w’en ’e woke up ’e wuz 
er gittin’ better, en de better ’e got de mo’ waitin’ 
on ’e tuk, en ’fo’ de week wuz out hit would er tuk 
somebody wid mo’ laigs dan Ah got ter do all ’e 
call fer. 

“All dis time, howsomeber, we ain’ heerd nothin’ 
f’om Marster. Marse Alec kep’ cornin’ in eb’y 
mawnin’ ter see how us wuz er gittin’ ’long, en one 
mawnin’ ’e tol’ Marse Billy dat de fus’ time ’e cu’d 
walk downsta’rs by ’isse’f dat ’e’d git ’im er furlow 
ter go home on. Atter dat Ah jes’ nachelly couldn’ 
keep ’im in baid no mo’, en ’twan’ no mo’ en free 
er fo’ days ’fo’ ’e made me git ’is close w’en Ah fus’ 
come in de mawnin’ kaze ’e say ’e gwine ter be 
ready ter go down w’en Marse Alec come. 

“Ah try ter reason wid ’im kaze Ah don’ b’l’ebe 
’e cu’d git down dem steps, but ’twan’ no use en 
w’en Marse Alec come, sho ’nuff, ’e tol’ ’im ’e ready 
ter go down. Ah sho’ wuz skeered fer ’im ter try 
but Ah dassent say nothin’. 

“W’en us starts down Ah axes Marse Alec ter 
lemme tote ’is cape, en whilst me en Marse Billy 
wuz er walkin’ down, side by side, Ah jes’ retched 
out under de cape on mer, arm en stiddys ’is elbow 
en somehow ’e meks hit ter de bottom ’dout failin’. 

“W’en us got ter de doctor’s office Marse Alec 


6o 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


en de doctor pass de time er day en talk er li’l’, den 
de doctor ax ’im wuz dey anything ’e cu’d do fer 
’im. 

“Marse Alec tell ’im dat ’e’d lak ter git er fur- 
low fer dis young man, en nen ’e tell ’im how Marse 
Billy done been wounded en had tarefoid fever. ’E 
had ter tell ’im dat kaze dis wuz’n de doctor us 
had at de hosspital, hit wuz anudder one. 

“De doctor look at Marse Billy en ’e sho’ do 
look li’1’ en peaked, ’e done swunk up so whilst ’e’s 
sick, en nen ’e ax ’im how ol’ is ’e. 

“Marse Billy look sorter ’spishus at dat, en tell 
’im ’e’s sixteen—en de Lawd knowed ’e wouldn’ 
be sixteen tell de nex’ cornin’ October. 

“De doctor shuck ’is haid whilst ’e’s er writin’ 
somep’n on er li’1’ strip. We’en ’e finish ’e tell 
Marse Alec dat ’e sorry not ter be able ter do whut 
’e ax ’im but ’e had pos’tiv’ orders ter discharge 
eb’y man under eighteen whut’d had tarefoid fever. 

“Ah sho’ wuz glad ter hear dem words but Marse 
Billy ’e jes’ bruck down en bus’ out cryin’ lak ’e 
done in dat ’lis’ment tent. 

“ ’E tell ’em dat ’e ain’ been in but one fight en 
dat ’e don’ want no discharge, ner no furlow ne’th- 
er—en mo’ en dat ’e ain’ gwine ter tek ’em. 

“Marse Alec go up ter ’im ter passify ’im, ’e tell 
’im dey ain’ no use ter tek on lak dat, ’e tell ’im ’e 


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61 


better tek de discharge en gwan home en git well, 
en den, ef ’e wan’er, ’e kin ’lis’ ergin in de same 
comp’ny en fight all ’e please. 

“Marse Billy ca’m down den en thank de doctor, 
en thank Marse Alec fer bein’ so good ter ’im—’e 
sho’ look happy kaze ’e gwine home fer all ’is cryin’ 
w’en ’e thought ’e had ter stay dar. 

“W’en us got back ter de hosspital 01’ Marster 
wuz dar; ’e’d come jes’ ez soon ez ’e got Marse 
Alec’s letter en all de way f’om home ’e’d been cr 
thinkin’ dat mebby ’e mout be too late. Ah dunno 
who wuz de gladdes’ ter see ’im, Marse Billy er 
me—bofe uv us wuz er crin’, en 01’ Marster, too, 
fer de matter er dat. Marse Alec waits tell us 
gits ober de fus’ er de meetin’ en den ’e steps up 
en shecks han’s wid Marster en tells ’im how glad 
’e is ter see ’im en dat ’e’ll see ’im ergin ’fo’ de day 
is ober. ’E see how tired Marse Billy look en ’e 
jes’ steps in ’is kerridge en rides off. 

“OP Marster ’suades Marse Billy ter gwan back 
ter baid. ’E tell ’im ’e’ll set by ’im en talk ter ’im, 
but hit wa’nt long ’fo’ Marse Billy drapped ter 
sleep en den Marster motion fer me ter come on out. 

“ ’E tol’ me ter tell ’im eb’ything whut’d hap¬ 
pened sence us lef’ home en Ah tol’ ’im all Ah 
knowed, ’cep’n ’bout de li’l’ white box—dat wuz 


62 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


too pitiful er tale fer me ter tell ’im w’en ’e’s in so 
much trouble. 

“Marse Billy slep’ tell mos’ night en soon atter 
supper Marse Alec come in en tol’ Marster dat 
ez ’e wuz thinkin’ er gittin’ oflF in de mawnin’, ’spoz- 
en’ ’e come wid ’im fer er ride ’roun’ de city fer ter. 
see de fortyfications. 01’ Marster look lak ’e’d be 
pleased ter go en Marse Billy tell ’im ter gwan ez 
’e ’speck ’e’d better git ter sleep soon kaze dey 
wanted ter git er early start. 

“Marse Billy so ’cited ’bout gwine home, how- 
someber, dat ’e don’ git ter sleep tell mos’ time fer 
’em ter come back, en w’en ’e do drap off Ah goes 
ter sleep merse’f en don’ nair one uv us know w’en 
Marster got back. 

“Us didn’ know w’en ’e got back but us sho’ 
knowed w’en ’e got ter sleep kaze dey done gin ’im 
er baid in de ward us wuz in. 

“W’en Ah woke up Marse Billy wuz er laffin’ 
ter ’isse’f en ’e say ter me, ‘Dave, fader is ersleep,’ 
en Ah sez, ‘Dat’s de Gawd’s trufe but dey ain’ no¬ 
body sleep ’sides him’—en hit sho’ wuz de trufe. 
Mighty nigh eb’y man in de ward wuz er cussin* 
’cep’n’ 01’ Marster en ’e wuz er snowin’. En w’en 
Ol’ Marster snowed yer sho’ had ter tek notice. 

“ ’E mek so many diff’ent kin’ er fusses dat yer 
couldn’ go ter sleep fer lis’nin’ ter see whut ’e 


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63 


gwine ter do nex’—’e nuvver did hab no reg’lar lick 
lak mos’ folks. Sometimes hit wuz er snort en some¬ 
times hit wuz er growl en den sometimes ’e’d ketch 
Ms breff en hoi’ hit so long yer wuz sho’ dat ’e’d 
woke up—in dis worl’ er de nex’—den ’e’d gib er 
whoop dat didn’ leab no onsartinty ez ter whar ’e’s 
at. 

“Well, sir, dat’s de way Marster wuz er gwine 
on dis time. ’E wuz plum’ wo’ out en wuz er layin’ 
flat er ’is back, doin’ ’is bes’—en ’joyin’ hit. Atter 
all dem mens got ober dey fus’ ’stonishment de air 
sho’ got thick wid cussin’. Ah lissens ter 01’ Mars¬ 
ter er while en den Ah lissens ter de mens. Dey 
wuz Jew cussin’ en I’shman cussin’ en den jes’ plain 
nachel cussin’. Dey wuz er liT ugly furriner in de 
baid nex’ ter Marse Billy en ’e wuz er cussin’ mo’ en 
all de res’, only dey couldn’ nobody onderstan’ whut 
’e’s sayin’. 

“Bymeby Marster ketch ’is breff en hoi’ it er long 
time, en dat man seem lak ’e hoi’ ’is breff too. Mars¬ 
ter still don’ say nothin’ en dat man whispers lak ’e 
sayin’ ’is pra’rs, ‘T’ank Gott de ol’ debil’s gone ter 
hell now.’ ’E sho’ wuz er onery white man—Ah 
dunno how come ’e wuz dar nohow kaze ’e wa’nt 
shot nowhar ’cep’n’ er li’l* small woun’ in de heel, 
en ’e sho’ mus’ er been doin’ some runnin’ ter gib 
de Yankees er chanct at ’is foots. 


6 4 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


“Ah lissens er while longer but Ah’d heerd Mars- 
ter do all dat befo’ en ez de mens had said all dey 
knowed en wuz gwine ober de same groun’ ergin 
dey wa’nt ’citement ’nuff ter keep me ’wake so Ah 
dunno who had de flo’ fer de res’ er de night. 

“Marster woke me up ’bout day uv de nex’ mawn- 
in’ en us had bre’kfus’ en got right in Marse Alec’s 
kerredge whut ’e had done sont ter tek us ter de 
cyars. Us rid all dat day en de nex’ night en w’en 
us got off at Crawfordsville dey wa’nt nobudy ’spect- 
in’ us en us had ter git er kerridge f’om de stable ez 
Marse Billy wa’nt able ter ride er hoss yit. 

“De fiel’ ban’s seed us ’fo’ us got ter de house en 
dey cut thoo en tol’ Miss Calline en Miss Lucy us 
wuz cornin’, en f’om de way dey met us at de big 
gate you sho’ would er thought us wuz de projeckin’ 
son come home. 

“Mer mammy sutten’y did cook one supper dat 
night whilst Ah set in de kitchen en tol’ some er 
mine en Marse Billy’s ’speriences—en sampled de 
vittles she wuz cookin’. W’en supper wuz ready 
she tol’ me ter come on ter de dinin’ room en h’ep 
’er wait on de table en Ah tuk mer place ’hin’ Miss 
Calline’s cheer. 

“01’ Marster en Miss Calline sho’ wuz two happy 
folks dat night, en Marse Billy wuz happier den 
dem, but w’en Ah looked at Miss Lucy settin’ dar 


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65 


wid de candlelight shinin’ on ’er sof’ curly ha’r en 
’er liT pale face Ah knowed she wuz jes’ er tryin’ ter 
mek lak she happy too. 

“Dat war sutten’y did hurry er heap er folks inter 
trouble. Hit didn’ seem no longer ’n las’ night 
w’en Marse Billy’d tek ’is fiddle en slip out ter de 
quarter en she’d come runnin’ thoo de moonlight 
ter see de nigger chilluns dance—en dey wa’nt no 
mo’n chillunns deyse’fs. 

“Atter supper dey all sot out on de peazzer en 
talk ’bout de young gent’mens f’om de neighborhood 
whut had went ter de war, en nigh ’bout all uv ’em 
wuz gone by now. 01’ Marster ax ’bout dis un 
en ’bout dat un, but somehow er nuther didn’ no¬ 
body mek no menshon er Marse Willum Reid. 

“Atter while Marster ax Marse Billy do ’e feel 
able ter gib ’em er chune on ’e fiddle en Marse Billy 
got hit out whilst Miss Lucy set at de pianner en 
gib ’im de notes ter chune by. 

“Ah slips ’roun’ ter de winder en peeks thoo kaze 
Ah did love ter watch Marse Billy play, en many 
er time befo’ dat Ah’d stood outside dat winder en 
watched ’em play w’en dey wuz free uv ’em. Marse 
Billy alluz stood on Miss Lucy’s right kaze dat gib 
’im room ter sling ’is fiddle bow; but hit didn’ seem 
ter gib ’im no chanct ter see how dost Marse Willum 
Reid stood on ’er lef’. Miss Lucy’d look up, fus’ at 


66 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


one en nen at de yuther en day’d laff en talk lak chil- 
luns will, but Ah nuvver had no idee uv ’er lovin’ 
Marse Willum, do she wuz so purty en sweet—fer 
all ’er bein’ small lak Miss Calline. 

“But dey wa’nt but two uv ’em dat night en dey 
went f’om one chune ter anudder; Marse Billy 
don’ tell Miss Lucy whut chune ’e want, ’e jes’ strack 
in ter playin’ en she foller ’im ’dout lookin’ at no 
notes. Bymeby ’e strack inter ‘De Camels Is Corn¬ 
in’, ’ en she foller ’im lak she been er doin’. Ah 
nuvver is lacked dat chune atter us fit dat battle at 
Bull Run but Ah lissened er while en—dis is de 
Gawd’s trufe—Ah heerd somp’n dat made mer ha’r 
feel shivery at de roots. Ah lissen en look ter see 
ef anybudy heerd hit ’sides me. 01 Marster wuz out 
on de peazzer talkin’ low en confidenshal lak, en Ah 
heerd Miss Calline laff. Ah knowed ’e wuz er tellin’ 
er ’bout dat discharge. Ah look at Marse Billy en 
’e wuz snatchin’ de chune outer dat fiddle same lak 
’e alluz do. Ah look at Miss Lucy en ’er face wuz 
ez white en ez sot ez Marse Willum’s wuz w’en Ah 
folded ’is han’s en straightened ’im out by de rock 
pile, en Ah knowed Ah wa’nt de onlyes’ one whut 
heerd ’is flute dat night. 

“Ah kep’ er watchin’, kaze Ah couldn’ do nothin’ 
else, en all at onct de cornders er Miss Lucy’s mouf 
went up in er funny li’P smile en Ah seed ’er look 


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67 


up ober ’er lef’ shoulder lak she used ter do, en Ah 
bTebe, ’fo’ Gawd, she seed ’im. Dey play on tell 
dey play all de chunes dey uster play en Miss Lucy 
kep’ on ’er smilin’ en er lookin’ up ober ’er shoulder 
en eb’y onct in er while Ah could hear dat flute, do 
hit didn’ come out loud no mo’ lak hit did on dat fus’ 
chune. 

“Bymeby Marse Billy say ’e b’l’ebe ’e er li’l’ sort¬ 
er tired en ’e tell ’em all good night. Us went up- 
sta’rs kaze Marster done tol’ me Ah better sleep in 
’is room ez ’e mout be res’less. 

“Ah fix Marse Billy comf’table en lay down on 
er cot on t’other side de room. Ah sho’ wuz sleepy 
but ez ’e didn’ drap right off Ah waits ter see ef Ah 
kin do anything fer ’im. Ah wuz jes’ ’bout ter ax 
*im ef ’e didn’ want me ter shet de blin’s fer ter 
keep de moonlight outen ’is face w’en de do’ open en 
Miss Lucy ax ’im wuz ’e ’sleep. 

“ ‘No,’ sez Marse Billy, ‘Ah been er waitin’ fer 
yer kaze Ah knowed yer’d come.’ 

“ ’E move ober en mek er place fer er en she sot 
dar on de side er de baid wid de moon shinin’ on er 
gol’-colored ha’r en li’l’ white face. Marse Billy 
retch out en tuk ’er li’l’ small han’s in his’en en she 
tu’n so dat Ah seed she’d been er cryin’, do’ she smile 
pitiful lak en say, ‘Won’ yer tell me ’bout ’im, Billy?’ 

“Wid dat ’e tol’ ’er eb’yt’ing ’e knowed ’bout dat 


68 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


fight, en ’bout us tekkin’ Marse Willum ter de rock 
pile, en ’bout me beggin’ ’im ter bring ’im home ter 
’er. Den ’e tol’ ’er dat ’e wuz buried in er coffin 
same ez other folks, en dat us done de bes’ us could. 
Hit all soun’ so pitiful w’en ’e tol’ hit dat Ah couldn’ 
keep f’om sniverlin’, do’ Ah had done cried ’bout dat 
thing ernuff. 

“Atter ’e finish dis ’e wait er li’l’ while en cl’ar up 
’is thote en den ’e retch under ’is piller en tuk out de 
ring. Ah notice er li’l* sparkle in de moonlight en 
Ah seed dat hit wa’nt in de li’l’ white box wid de 
blood on hit. ’E han’ it ter ’er en tell ’er whut 
Marse Willum say ’bout w’arin’ hit ez long ez she 
grieb fer ’im. 

“Miss Lucy mos’ snatch de ring outen ’is han’ en 
fer er minnit ’er face look happy—dat is happy in 
de onlies’ way she’d eber be ergin—en she say, well, 
mebby she won’ hatter w’ar hit long—en she sho’ 
Gawd didn’, kaze w’en us come home atter de 
s’render she wa’n’ dar. 

“Marse Billy tu’n ’is face erway but ’e don’ say 
nothin’ en Miss Lucy sot dar, hol’in’ de ring ergin 
er mouf. Bymeby she slips off de baid, down on 
’er knees en han’ ’im de ring back en say, ‘Won’ yer 
put ’is ring on fer ’im, Billy?’ 

“Marse Billy slip de ring on er li’l’ white finger 
en she stoop ober de baid en kiss ’im en went on 
out. 


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69 


“Fer er while Ah watch Marse Billy, ’e sheckkin’ 
so wid tryin’ ter hol\ in ’is cryin’ dat hit looked lak 
’e bleeged ter bus’ somp’n loose. Ah dassent go 
ter ’im en Ah try ter watch wid ’im ‘dis one hour’, 
but lak dem mens in de gyarden wid de Lawd dat 
night sleep obercame me, en da’s one time Ah lef’ 
Marse Billy erlone in ’is trouble.” 


CHAPTER V 


SUGAR EN CAWFY 

c< T TIT wuz de fus’ er Augus’ w’en us got home en 
all dat mont’ us had sich er good time dat Ah 
jes’ couldn’ see how Marse Billy cu’d mek up his 
min’ ter go back w’en dey wuz all so ’tentive ter 
us en doin’ all dey kin ter try ter ’suade ’im ter 
stay out de war w’en ’e had de chanct. Ah knowed 
’e wa’n’ gwine ter stay kaze Ah’d done seed ’im w’en 
de doctor tol’ ’im ’e bleeged ter go home but Ah 
hoped dat Miss Calline en Miss Lucy mout be able 
ter git ’im ter stay er liT longer. 

“W’en September come, howsomeber, ’e tell ’em 
’e ready ter go en ’e tell me ’e bleeged ter leab me 
at home dis time ez de gov’ment done say hit cost 
too much ter feed so many niggers in de army, en 
dat dey oughter be at home in de fiel’s mekkin’ 
somep’n’ fer de sodgers t’eat. 

“Ah knowed Ah’d s’plied dat Com’pny D wid 
er heap sight mo’ rations dan whut Ah et kaze Ah 
alluz had er pow’ful way wid watch dogs en wuz er 
good han’ at locatin’ tater hills en hen rooses. All 
dis wa’nt no argyment ter Marse Billy do’, en de 
wus’ uv hit wuz dat ’e made 01’ Marster tell me 
( 70 ) 


SUGAR EN CAWFEY 


7i 


Ah cyan’ go kaze ’e knowed Ah bleeged ter pay 
’tenshun ter *im. 

“W’en 01’ Marster tol’ me dat Ah sho’ did beg 
pitiful. Ah tol’ ’im dat hit wuz true Marse Billy 
cu’d tek keer uv ’isse’f er right smart better’n whut 
’e could, but dat ’e didn’ know eb’ything yit. Ah 
sez ter ’im, ‘Marster, who gwine ter steal fer ’im 
w’en ’e’s hongry? You know ’e ain’ gwine ter do 
hit fer ’isse’f. ’Sides dat, hit ain’t becomin’ in de 
quality ter steal.’ 

“OP Marster’s chin trimbled but ’e don’ say 
nothin’ fer er while. Den ’e ax me how Ah gwine 
ter manage ter keep ’em f’om sen’in’ me home. 

“Ah tol’ ’im hit’er er mighty po’ nigger dat cyan’ 
ma’ch ’long ’sides er army in de daytime en den 
slip inter camp ter sleep at night ’doubt gittin’ 
coch. Den, too, Ah tol’ ’im Ah had done made mer- 
se’f so handy wid dat comp’ny dey wa’nt nair man in 
hit dat wouldn’ he’p ter hide me w’en de orficers 
come ’roun’. 

“ ’E draw er long breff en say, ‘Well, Ah’ll tell 
Willum ter let yer try hit ergin ez yer is bofe so 
hell bent on gwine, en hit’s some comfort ter Cal- 
line ter hab yer wid ’im, en ’e went on ter de house, 
wipin’ ’is specktickles. 

“W’en us went ter jine ouah comp’ny hit had 
done moved up inter Pennslyvany en us had ter fol- 


72 


CONFED’RIC GOV 


ler ’em. Us sho’ lef’ warm wedder at home en us 
nuvver saw no mo’ er dat ar/hr&le fer sometime kaze 
hit wuz hard col’ ’fo’ October wuz out en by de 
middle er November eb’ything wuz kivered solid 
wid snow en de good Lawd wuz still er sen’in’ hit 
down. 

“Dey called dat place de winter quarters but, ter 
hear Dave tell hit, hit suttne’y wuz er mighty po’ 
place ter spen’ de winter. Ef dey wa’n’ gwine ter 
do no flightin’ Ah couldn’ see howcome dey nuvver 
stayed at home en kep’ warm tell spring—but dey 
didn’ ax me. Us had ’nuff ter eat dat winter, sich 
ez hit wuz, but us didn’ hab no sugar en no cawfy 
en Ah sho’ did miss hit—fer Marse Billy. 

“We all wuz camped on one side uv er ribber en 
de Yankees wuz camped on de yuther, en one day 
us seed two er free er dey mens come down ter dey 
bank en th’ow somp’n out on de ice, fer de ribber 
wuz friz solid. De things whut dey th’owed 
skimmed erlong tell dey come ter ouah side en 
stopped right at de bank. Marse Billy en some mo’ 
er ouah sodgers went en picked em up en dey wuz 
li’l’ boats wid sails to ’em, an dey wuz loaded wid 
sugar en cawfy. 

“Fer er long time us couldn’ ’cide whut dem mens 
done dat fer, en den dey gits tired waitin’ en show 
us whut dey mean. Dey hilt up er gre’t big pipe 


SUGAR EN CAWFEY 


73 


whut dey had done made, en den dey tu’nt hit ober 
ter show dat hit wuz empty. 

“W’en ouah mens seed dat dey laff en holler but 
dey loaded up de boats wid terbaccer en th’owed 
’em back. Dey didn’ know how ter th’ow ’em at 
fust but bymeby dey got de hang uv hit en de boats 
skimmed on back jes’ lak dey come, do Marse Billy 
wuz de fus’ man ter lan’ ’is cargo. 

“Atter dat us got right soshiable ’cross de rib- 
ber. Us swapped ouah goods en hollered en joked 
wid one anudder tell yer’d er thought us wuz er 
big fishin’ party, only yer’d had ter bus ’er hole in 
de ribber ter git in yer line. 

“Dis went on fer some time en den one night 
us seed er crowd er mens come down ter dey bank 
en put up two high pos’es. Atter dey got de pos’es 
fixed dey put up er big sign wid letters cut out en 
er light behin’ ’em ter shine thoo. 

“Gentermens! w’en ouah sodgers read dat sign 
dey wuz some cussin’ done. Marse Billy read me 
whut de sign say. Hit said: ‘Ez Long Ez Dis Light 
Hoi’ Out Ter Burn De Viles’ Rebel May Return.’ 

“Ouah mens say de Yankees wuz er ’vitin* ’em 
ter ’zert en ouah orficers issued orders dat, ‘Dey 
mus’ be no mo’ kimmunicashun wid de enemy.’ 

“De nex’ mawnin’ ’fo’ bre’kfus’ de li’l’ boats 
commenst fer ter skim ercrost, dey come tell dey 


74 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


wuz er long line uv ’em ’side ouah bank but ’tain’ 
nobuddy picked ’em up. 

“De Yankees gethered ’long dey bank en look at 
us en dey holler, ‘Whut’s de matter, Johny? Come 
ercrost,’ but don’ seem lak ouah mens heerd ’em 
ertall. 

“Ah sho’ wanted dat sugar en cawfy, en would 
er had it too ef Ah hadn’ been watched. Ah hadn’ 
got mer feelin’s hu’t none ’bout de sign kaze Ah 
knowed Ah wa’nt gwine ter ’zert lessen Marse 
Billy done hit fus’—den too Ah wuz sorry fer dem 
mens ’bout dey ’baccer. 

All dat day de Yankees holler en joke en dat 
night dey ain’ no sign on de pos’es but ouah mens 
done ’cided dat dey ain’ gwine ter hab nothin’ mo’ 
ter do wid ’em en dey stuck ter hit—kaze de orficers 
seed ter dat. 

“One night soon atter dat ez de mens in ouah 
mess wuz er settin’ ’roun’ de fiah smokin’ en er 
talkin’ ’bout de good supper dey had jes’ et—do’ de 
supper wus some late on ’count er me havin’ er li’P 
private vis’tin’ ’roun’ ter do atter dark—Ah heerd 
er li’l’ ’sturbance en seed somebuddy movin’ in de 
shadder. Ah punched Marse Billy en tol’ ’im de 
Yankees wuz done come kaze de man Ah seed had 
on er blue nuniform. 

“Marse Billy en de yuthers jumped up en started 


SUGAR EN CAWFEY 


75 


fer dey guns but de man walked right inter de fiah 
light en th’owed down ’is gun en th’owed down ’is 
ca’t’age belt on top er hit—’e sho’ wuz one er de 
bigges’, red-haidedes’ men Ah eber seed, en Ah 
think ’e had de bigges’ foots. 

“ ’E stood dar en didn’ say nothin’ whilst all 
ouah mens look at ’im. Bymeby Marse Billy say 
ter ’im, ‘Whut yer doin’ hyr? Air yer er spy er 
hab yer ’zerted yer army?” 

“De man spit out some er de same ’baccer whut 
us had traded ’im en say, ‘ ’Zerted de divvil, Ah’ve 
quit!’ 

“Ouah mens ax ’im whut ’e quit ’bout en ’e say, 
‘Faith en de divvil we’ve been er fightin’ lak hell 
f’r er ye’r er mo’ ter git the ribbles back inter de 
nunion en now hyr yer air norrth av Mason’s Dixie 
line en we’re sthill er fightin’, en it’s de divvil anud- 
der gun will Ah foirah fur ’em.’ 

“De mens call Cap’n Farmer en ’e talk ter de 
man whut say ’e’s name Pat Nolan. ’E tell Cap’n 
Farmer dat ’e reely do wan’er jine ’is comp’ny ez 
’e say ’e cyan git no ’joyment outer fightin’, atter ’e 
got whut ’e fightin’ ’bout. 

“Cap’n Farmer try ter ’splain ter ’im dat all de 
Rebels wuzen’ up dar, dat dey wuz plenty mo’ at 
home, but ’e say, ‘Gawd savin’ yer honor ’tiz de 
Ouhl Bhy himsi’f should be plazed wid de sample, 


76 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


en may de holy saints presarve me f’om furder 
fightin’ fer er giv’mint dat’s so harrd ter saterfy— 
besides Ah ondersthan’ yeV plinty av terbaccer in 
de Ribbel lines.’ 

“Cap’n Farmer go on talkin’ ter de man; ’e tell 
’im dat whut ’e doin’ is jes’ plain ’zertin’ en dat ’e’ll 
be shot ef ’e gits coch; but ouah sodgers wuz geth- 
ered ’roun’ en dey wuz er beggin’ Cap’n Farmer 
ter tek ’im in en one uv ’em say, ‘Hit’s all right, 
Cap’n, gib ’em er dose er dey own medicine’—en dat 
wuz how Marse Pat j’ined de comp’ny. 

“Atter Cap’n Farmer went on back ter ’is tent 
de mens made er place fer Marse Pat by de fiah en 
’e open up ’is pack en, bress Gawd! dat man nuvver 
fotch nothin’ f’om de nunion lines ’cep’n’ sugar ’n’ 
cawfy. ’Is haversack wuz full en ’is pockets wuz 
full en day wuz liT packages uv hit all ’roun’ inside 
’is coat. ’E spreaded hit all out en den ’e look at 
me en sorter wunk ’is eye en say, ‘Dis’ll be plinty 
ferr de mess ferr er while en den hit’s mese’f en 
ouah Hethiopian frien’ whut kin git mo’ w’en hit’s 
gone.’ 

“Ah wuz’n none er dat man’s frien’ en Ah sho’ 
hadn’ gid ’im no cause ter be callin’ me out mer 
name, but dat wuz er mighty knowin’ wink so Ab 
’cided dat Ah’d preserve mer judgiment tell Ah 
knowed ’im better, en hit wuz well Ah did fer dat 


SUGAR EN CAWFEY 


77 


man sutten’y wuz er val’able edition ter de comp’ny. 

“Us suffered er heap dat winter but hit wa’nt fer 
de need er sugar V cawfy, fer no sooner did dem 
ar^’c&les ’gin ter git low dan Marse Pat’d tell me 
ter c’mon, ’e’d hatter visit ’is fambly dat night. 
’E’d put on ’is blue nuniform en tell me ter keep 
outer sight ez much ez Ah could en us’d step down 
de ribber er piece en cross below de pickets. ’E 
knowed all erbout how de Yankee army wuz sich- 
erwated en ’twan’ no trouble fer ’im ter fin’ de prom¬ 
issory tents. 

“ ’E alluz toted might’ nigh er haversack full er 
keys—all kin’s er keys—en one day Ah ax ’im how- 
come ’e had so many keys w’en ’e didn’ hab no bag¬ 
gage. ’E sorter laff en wunk ’is eye en den ’e say 
’e jes’ totin’ some keys ter ’is uncle’s baggage, do 
Ah nuvver knowed uv ’im havin’ no uncle in de 
army. 

“W’en us got ter dem tents howsomeber Ah ’cid- 
ed dat ’is uncle sho’ mus’ er b’longed ter de Yankee 
army kaze might’ nigh eb’y one er dem keys ’e had 
fitted er chist—en ’e seem pow’ful at home ’mongst 
’em. Hit would er done yer heart good ter see 
how dat man went ’bout ’is wuck, ’e didn’ lemme do 
nothin’ but tote de sacks en ’e’d tek er li’l’ hyr en 
er li’l’ yander, en ’e’d smoove out en clean up tell 
yer couldn’ tell ’e’d been erlong. One night whilst 


78 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


us wuz cornin’ on back ter camp, Ah ax’ ’im how- 
come ’e tek so much time ter clean up, en ’e laff en 
say dat ef all visitors cleant up atter deyse’fs dey’d 
be er sight mo’ welcome—en dat wuz all ’e’d say 
but Ah sutten’y did learn er heap f’om dat man. 

“De main reason Ah lacked ’im do, wuz dat ’e 
tuk sich er fancy ter Marse Billy. ’E had er big 
’corgian en ’e knowed er heap er de chunes dat 
Marse Billy knowed en some dat ’e didn’, en de 
music dey made ’roun’ de fiah at night w’uld er set 
yer heels ter shufflin’. Heap er times Cap’n Farmer 
en de yuther orficers ’u’d stan’ ’roun’ outside de fiah 
light en lissen en laff at me er dancin’ kaze de 
harder times got de liviler wuz de chunes whut 
Marse Billy en Marse Pat played. 

“Ah mout not er done ez much fightin’ ez some 
but Ah sho’ done mer sheer er dancin’ in dat war. 
W’en dem mens wuz col’ en tired en hongry en sick 
fer dey folks Marse Billy’d alluz git out ’is fiddle 
at night; en dey wa’nt er nigger in de army whut 
cu’d sheck ’e foots en stir up de dus’ lak Dave. 
Ah’m tellin’ you dat me en Marse Billy sho’ could 
set ’em ter laffin’ w’en dey thought dey wa’nt no mo’ 
laff in ’em, en Ah don’ b’l’ebe de Ol’ Boy’s got no 
grudge ergin me fer dat dancin’ ne’ther kaze Marse 
Billy sho’ wuz doin’ de fiddlin’. 

“En dancin’ wa’nt all Ah done; de orficers tried 


SUGAR EN CAWFEY 


79 


ter keep de mens f’om foragin’ on de kentry but 
Ah didn’ b’long ter no army, Ah b’longed ter Marse 
Billy, en Ah sho’ waV gwine ter see ’im suffer fer 
nothin’ whilst Ah cu’d git hit. 

“Dat sutten’y wuz er winter, hit got col’er en 
col’er en ouah mens wa’nt ha’f pertected f’om de 
wedder. One day Marse Billy come in f’om drill¬ 
in’ en ’is foots wuz all fros’bit en er bleedin’ en Ah 
wuz er settin’ by de fiah smokin’ ’is heels wid green 
bresh en er cryin’ ober ’is foots w’en Marse Pat 
come erlong. ’E seed whut er fix Marse Billy’s 
foots wuz in en ’e look mos’ ez sorry ez Ah is en ’e 
motion fer me ter step dar. 

“W’en Ah come up ter ’im ’e say, ‘Fix up de lad’s 
foots ez comf’thable ez yer kin en by de he’p er 
St. Paul, St. Peter en de Blissed Virgin we’ll have 
de bhy some shoes before de night is ober.’ 

“Ah didn’ know whar ’e wuz gwine ter git ’em 
but Ah sho’ wuz ready ter he’p ’im ’long wid dem 
others whut ’e named en Ah wuz waitin ’fer ’im 
w’en ’e called me ’long ’bout de middle er de night. 

“ ’E had on ’is blue nuniform en ’e wuz totin’ er 
big sack er ’baccer en er rope—’e alluz had ter tek 
dat ’baccer ter ’is brudder whut wuz in de Yankee 
army, ter git de password er de night. Ah tuk de 
sack er ’baccer but ’e say ’e’ll tote de rope ’isse’f, 
en Ah follered ’im ober ouah reg’lar rout ter de 


8o 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


promissory tents. ’Is brudder wuz one er dey 
quarter-masters en ’e look lak ’e wuz right smart 
glad ter see Marse Pat en ’e sho’ wuz glad ter git 
de ’baccer. ’E say ’e bleeged ter stay wid de nunion 
howsomeber, kaze we all didn’ hab nothin’ t’eat— 
en dat wuz de Gawd’s trufe. 

“Us tuk er li’l’ sugar ’n’ cawfy, kaze hit didn’ 
look nachel ter go back widout hit, en atter Marse 
Pat gimme de sacks us walks on thoo de camp tell 
us gits ter de tents whar de mens wuz sleepin’. U 9 
passed one sentry but Marse Pat gi’d ’im de word, 
nachel ’nuff, en us passed on. W’en us got ter de 
sleepin’ tents hit ’peared lak Marse Pat got er liT 
mo’ keerful; ’e’d go ’roun’ ter de back en crawl 
under. Sometimes ’e’d git in en out ’dout wekkin’ 
nobuddy up but sometimes Ah’d hear de mens say, 
‘Who dat?’ 

“ ’E’d alluz gib ’em some foolish answer en ’ten’ 
lak ’e wuz drunk; en dey’d cuss ’im fer er thievin’ 
I’shman en tell ’im ter git out—whuch ’e done, only 
Ah notice dat ’e alluz fotch dey shoes wid ’im. 

“Us kep’ dis up tell Ah wuz skeered dat day¬ 
break ’ud ketch us on de wrong side de ribber. 
Marse Pat seemed ter be ’joyin’ ’isse’f en ’e sho’ 
had done strung dat rope ’e fotch clean full er 
shoes. W’en ’e come out de las’ tent ’e had mo’n us 
cu’d kerry so Ah tuk off mer galluses en strung de 


SUGAR EN CAWFEY 


81 


las’ ones ’roun’ mer neck. ’E say dat ef Ah’d put 
down de sugar ’n’ cawfy ’e’d git some mo’ but Ah 
tol’ ’im p’intedly Ah wa’n’ gwine ter do dat so us 
started back. 

“Us sho’ had er load en us had ter go er long 
way ’roun’ kaze dey wa’nt no way er hidin’ whut 
us had. W’en us got cross de ribber day wuz break- 
in’ en Ah stopped en looked back. 

“Marse Pat seed me en ’e ax me, ‘Mose, whut 
yer thinkin’ ’bout?’ (’E alluz call me dat but, 
Lawd, ’e cu’d er called me wusser en Ah’d er 
answered.) 

“Ah sez ter ’im, ‘Ah dunno ez Ah wuz ’zackly 
thinkin’, Ah wuz jes’ wushin’ Ah cu’d see dem mens 
w’en dey gits up bar’footed.’ 

“ ’Is blue eyes twinkle en ’e say, ‘Faith en its me- 
se’f dat’d lak ter do dat same, but by de he’p er de 
blissed St. Patrick we’ll enjoy de givin’ out er dese 
shoes mo’ en dey will de losin’ av dim.’ 

“W’en us got ter camp us went on ter Marse 
Billy’s tent en counted out de shoes; dey wuz twenty- 
fo’ pa’rs en er odd one—Ah los’ de mate ’count er 
stumpin’ uv mer toe in er woods en havin’ sich er 
load dat Ah couldn’ stoop down ter hunt hit, en fer 
mo’n sixty y’rs Ah been er wushin’ Ah cu’d go back 
en git dat shoe—dem mens needed hit so. Marse 
Pat tol’ Marse Billy ter tek ’is pick en atter dat ’e 


82 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


tol’ me ter see ef dey wuz air pair big ’nuff fer me. 
’E say Ah had ter trabble wid ’im so much at night 
Ah bleeged ter hab good shoes. 

“Atter us got ouahn fitted on, us ’vided out de 
res’ er dem shoes, ez fur ez dey went, in de comp’ny, 
en do hit tuk some liT tryin’ on en swappin’ ’roun’ 
’fo’ dey cu’d git fitted up, dem mens sutten’y wuz 
proud er dey foots w’en dey went ter drillin’ dat 
day. 

“Atter bre’kfus’ Marse Billy tuk er li’l’ er de 
sugar ’n’ cawfy ter Cap’n Farmer’s tent en tell ’im 
’e think dat Marse Pat er li’l’ sorter sickish en 
would ’e min’ ’scusin’ uv ’im f’om drillin’ dat 
mawnin’. 

“Cap’n Farmer tuk whut Marse Billy fotch ’im 
en say dat ’e’ll be pleased ter do so, en me en Marse 
Pat went on back ter de tent en slep’ tell dinner. 

“Us went on diserway tell spring. De mens 
grumble ’bout layin’ ’roun’ en not doin’ no fightin’ 
but Lawd knows dey had ’nuff ter grumble ’bout 
'sides dat. Things ’gun ter thaw out ’bout de middle 
er Ma’ch en by Ap’il hit wuz er gittin’ er li’l’ sorter 
warm en de shad frawgs wuz er hollerin’ ’long de 
branches. De orficers tightened down on de drill¬ 
in’ en eb’ybuddy wuz er talkin’ ’bout de spring cam¬ 
paign. 

“Us got orders ter move f’om dat place to anud- 

I 


SUGAR EN CAWFEY 


S3 


der place er liT furder norf, en word come dat er 
reg’ment er Yankees wuz tryin’ ter s’prize us en 
cut us off. W’en us moved us done hit atter dark en 
us done hit mighty quiet. Atter us got ter whar us 
wuz gwine de orficers issued out short rations en 
drawed us up in line er battle ’sides er liT creek. De 
orders wuz fer de mens ter res’ on dey guns en not 
ter speak er word. 

“Ah foun’ Marse Billy en Marse Pat en den Ah 
went on down er liT gully en struck er match ter 
some dry bresh en het up de cawfy in de two can¬ 
teens whut Ah alluz toted. Ah kerried hit back 
ter ’em en atter Marse Billy tuk er good drink ’e 
han’ hit back ter me en Ah drunk whut ’e lef\ 
Marse Billy en Marse Pat wuz mos’ alluz togedder 
now en ef dey wuz any way ertall fer me ter git wid 
’em Ah wuz dar too. 

“Dat army sutten’y wuz er funny place. Dar 
wuz Marse Billy en Marse Pat de bes’ er frien’s 
en Marse Billy wa’n’t in de leas’ disqualified—not 
dat Ah means ter disqualify Marse Pat, not er¬ 
tall, kaze in ’is way ’e sho’ wuz er man. ’E jes’ 
wa’n’t de same kin’ er folks dat we all been used 
ter at home. Hit didn’ seem ter matter do, atter 
year got in de army, whut kin’ er folks yer wuz. 
Ah notice dat dey all fit jes’ ’bout de same ’quality 
en trash. De army wuz er mighty leveller. 


84 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


“Well, sir, us laid dar ’side dat creek er waitin’, 
en er waitin’, en yer cu’d er heerd er pin drap. Us 
waited, en us waited, en ’tain’ nothin’ happen. 
Bymeby mos’ er de mens drap off ter sleep, but hit 
wuz de kin’ er sleep dat’ll mek yer de somep’n 
rash ef yer git woke up sudden. Us dozed erlong 
tell mos’ day en den, way up at de een’ er de line, 
er bull-frawg whut ’tain’ nobuddy know nothin’ 
’bout, jumped in de water wid er big kersplash, en 
de fus’ man in line fiahed ’is gun, ’dout reely wekkin’ 
up. En wid dat, sir, f’om fus’ ter las’, all down dat 
line dem mens fiahed en Ah don’ b’l’ebe nair man 
missed. 

“Gentermens! dey wa’nt no mo’ quiet dat night. 
Gen’il Bennin’ come up ter de fus’ man whut’d shot 
en ’e ax ’im, ‘Did you shoot, sir?’ en de man bleeged 
ter tell ’im, ‘Yes, sir.’ 

“Gen’il Bennin’ ax ’im, ‘Whut is yo’ name, sir?’ 
en de man tell ’im ’is name. 

“De gen’il gwan down dat line en ’e ax eb’y man 
dem two queschons en w’en de mens tell ’im ’e cuss 
’im by name en by note en ’e don’ spar’ none er 
dey famblys. Da’s one time Ah sho’ wuz glad Ah 
wuz er nigger do’, ter tell de trufe, dem white mens 
didn’ seem ez much sot back ez dey mout kaze Ah 
heerd Marse Billy en Marse Pat snigglin’ ter dey- 
se’fs atter de gen’il done tetched ’em up en went 
on by. 


SUGAR EN CAWFEY 85 

“De gen’il went on down dat line tell ’e got ter 
de las’ man en ax ’im did } e shoot. 

“De man say, ‘No, sir’—do Ah b’l’ebe ’e lied. 

“ ’Stid er bein’ pleased, ez you’d er thought ’e 
would, de gen’il lit inter dat man en cuss ’im ter 
all ’is ginerations befo’ en atter. ’E cuss ’im so 
long en so loud dat yer’d er thought de 01’ Boy wuz 
er bre’kkin’ in mules dat night. ’E call ’im er cow¬ 
ardly renergade en ax ’im howcome ’e’s skecrd 
ter shoot er gun ef ’e tryin’ ter be er sodger—on’y 
dat wa’nt de way ’e ax ’im. Hit look lak ’e jes’ 
couldn’ be suited noways ertall dat night. 

“Ouah mens alluz said dat dey gen’il wuz de 
loudes’ talker en de rankes’ cusser in de Confed’ric 
army en atter dat night Ah sutten’y ’greed wid 
’em. Ah sho’ wuz ’shamed uv ’im fer r’arin’ ’roun’ 
en tekkin’ on so rampageous ’bout er li’l’ matter 
lak dat, kaze Ah knowed de Yankees cu’d er 
heerd ’im easy, ef dey wa’nt no mo’ en er mile erway. 

“But den, do’, dat cussin’ mout er been bene- 
fishal atter all kaze de nex’ mawnin’ dey wa’nt no 
sign uv er Yankee reg’ment in sight ’cep’n’ de groun’ 
dey trompled in passin’ ober. 

“Us alluz called dat de Battle er de Bull Frawg, 
en, ter mer min’, hit wuz de sensiblest battle er de 
whole war kaze dey wa’nt nobuddy hu’t ertall— 
’scusin’ de ’sturbin’ er de bull-frawg.” 


CHAPTER VI 


GITTYSBURG 


“ W ’EN spring come sho’ ’nuff dar wuz fightin’ er 
plenty ter saterfy anybuddy, but de bigges’ 
battle er de whole war wuz fit at Gittysburg in July 
er dat same ye’r. 

“Us broke camp one mawnin’, right atter bre’k- 
fus’ en ma’ched down de road er piece ter jine de 
res’ er de dVision. W’en us coch up wid ’em us 
had orders ter stop en res’ whilst de kevelry en de 
artillery pass us. W’en de kevelry pass dey wuz 
er heap er laffin’ en er jokin’ ’twixt dem en we all 
kaze us alluz called ’em de buttermilk rangers, do’ 
Ah nuvver did ’zackly know how dey come by dat 
name. 

“Ah seed Marse Robert w’en ’e gallop by, en 
w’en ’e do, ’e p’int ’is finger at me en laff, do’ dey 
wa’nt no ’casion fer ’im ter do dat ez ’is own trif¬ 
lin’ nigger done ’zert ’im long ergo en jine de 
Yankees. 

“W’en dey all got by, de gen’il er de d’vision rid 
up ter Gen’il Bennin’ en say, ‘Put yer brigade in mo¬ 
tion, sir,’ en ’fo’ yer cu’d bat yer eye Gen’in Bennin’ 
say, ‘Forward, Ma’ch.’ En Ah b’l’ebe ’e gib dat 
( 86 ) 


GITTYSBURG 87 

order loud ’nuff fer eb’y man in de brigade ter hear 
hit. 

“Us swung in line ’hm’ de artillery en move on 
down dat road lak us wuz gwine somewhar. Ah 
cyan’ tell yer ’bout de dus’ in dat road, us wuz behin’ 
eb’ything ’cep’n’ de draberlances, en us knowed by 
de way dey kep’ up wid de line dat er heap er dem 
mens wuz gwine whar dey wouldn’ need no mo’ 
rations. 

“W’en us ma’ched all day us gin’elly got ten min¬ 
utes res’ in eb’y hour, but us didn’ git hit dat day, 
ner no rations ne’ther; de promissory waggins wa’nt 
eben in sight. Us ma’ched in dat dus’ tell atter 
dark, en den us filed ter de right en ma’ch ’bout three 
hund’ed yards thoo er clover fiel’ en stop. 

“W’en de order come ter stop dem mens jes’ 
drap in dey tracks en tuk out dey li’l’ ration er 
hardtack en et hit whar dey wuz; en atter dat dey 
jes’ stretch out in line en went ter sleep right dar 
wid eb’y buckle en strop in place, en dey guns by dey 
sides. Ah nuvver got no chanct ter speak ter Marse 
Billy dat night but Ah knowed ’e had er canteen full 
er cawfy en dat Marse Pat had er li’l’ somep’n 
else ter flavor hit wid. 

“Well, sir, us slep’ in dat fiel’ tell jes’ ’fo’ day 
en den de army wuz woke up by er big gun dat wuz 


88 


CONFED’RIC GOL 5 


right in front uv us, but whut us hadn’ seed in de 
dark. W’en dem mens come to dey foun’ dey wuz 
’ranged in line er battle right behin’ de artillery, 
en ’fo’ dey knowed dey hadn’ had no bre’kfus’ dey 
wuz er fightin’ in sich er way dat Ah clean los’ mer 
appetite. 

“Yer see, de big gen’ils knowed dat dey’d need 
reinforcements ’fo’ dat battle wuz ober en us wuz 
hurried ter de front so ez ter git dar in de night 
’dout de Yankees knowin’ nothin’ ’tall ’bout hit. 
Dey’d had some liT fightin’ all dat day w’en us 
wuz er ma’chin’ so, en de Yankees had took dey stan’ 
in er place dey called Simertary Hill; en w’en night 
come dey jes’ laid down en slep’ ’mongst dem tomb¬ 
stones—dat is whut wuz lef’ stan’in’ atter de day’s 
shootin’—en lemme tell you dey’s er sight uv ’em er 
sleepin’ dar yit, en ouah mens too, fer de matter 
er dat. 

“Soon ez Ah seed whut wuz gwine on Ah knowed 
Ah’d follered Marse Billy too dost fer onct, but dey 
wa’nt no way er gittin’ out dat fiel’ en Ah couldn’ 
jine in de fight effen Ah’d wanted ter, kaze de nig¬ 
gers wa’nt ’lowed ter tote no guns. ’Twa’nt long, 
do’, ’fo’ dey wa’nt no lack er guns—in fack dey had 
er sight mo guns den dey had mens ter tote ’em— 
but dat wa’nt no objeck ter me, Ah wuz er lookin’ 
fer dat rock pile, kaze Ah couldn’ fin Marse Billy. 


GITTYSBURG 


89 


Ah couldn’ fin’ de rock pile ne’ther, so Ah jes’ laid 
down on mer belly en crawled ter de bigges’ tree 
lef’ stan’in’ in de fiel’. De tree wuz inside ouah 
lines at fus’ but, Lawd, hit didn’ stay dar! ’Fo’ de 
day wuz ober dat tree change sides ez many times 
ez dat fiel’ whar us fit ’bout de long street at Bull 
Run. 

“Ah wuz watchin’ Marse Billy’s reg’ment all de 
time Ah wuz er circlin’ ’roun’ dat tree, en dey didn’ 
seem ter hab no orders ter jine in at fus’. Den Ah 
notice dat dey th’owed down eb’ything ’cep’n’ dey 
ca’tage boxes en canteens, en dat de orficers wuz 
issuin’ out er double ration er ca’tages. All at once 
dey mus’ er got dey orders, do’ Ah couldn’ hear ’em, 
en kingdom come! ef dey didn’ charge up dat hill. 

“Ah seed Marse Billy en Ah seed Marse Pat w’en 
dey pass me; Marse Billy’s face wuz pale en ’is 
eyes wuz er shinin’ en ’e look lak ’e gwine forrards 
kaze dey’s somep’n inside pushin’ ’im on en ’e cyan’ 
stay back; Marse Pat’s blue eyes wuz er twinklin’ 
en ’e wuz er smilin’ en ’e look lak ’e ’joyin’ ’isse’f 
so dat ’e gwine forrard kaze ’e don’ wanter stay 
back. Annyhow dey wuz bofe er chargin’ up dat 
hill en da’s de las’ time Ah eber seed ’em bofe 
togedder. 

, “Dey went up dat hill en dey tuk dem guns 
whilst de Yankees wuz er shootin’ ’em, en atter dey 


90 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


took dey station de ol’ Fifteent’ stood pat, do’ de 
Yankees kep’ er tryin’ ter come back. Dey wuz so 
fur erway now dat Ah couldn’ see Marse Billy, let 
’lone do nothin’ fer ’im, en Ah jes’ kep’ er circlin’ 
’roun’ dat tree whilst Ah prayed ter de Lawd ter 
keep keer uv ’im fer Miss Calline tell Ah cu’d git 
ter ’im. 

“Mos’ all dat day Marse Billy’s reg’ment wuz 
er hol’in’ dat Simertary Hill; fas’ ez dey’d beat 
back one reg’ment en gain er liT groun’, hyr’d 
come anudder one up de hill. ’Bout free hours ’fo’ 
sundown Ah seed ’em sorter ’range deyse’fs lak dey 
wuz gwine ter tek er fresh start en dar wuz er new 
Yankee reg’ment cornin’ up de hill. De Fifteent’ 
gied er yell en sont ’em down er volley dat scattered 
’em lak sheeps but dey wuz anudder reg’ment right 
’hin’ ’em en ouah line had ter fall back ’bout twenty 
yards—er less. 

“Whilst dey wuz er failin’ back Ah seed de flag 
go down en Marse Billy runned back en grabbed hit 
up en tuk hit ’long wid ’im. Den, sir, dey wuz some 
fightin’ done, en hit look lak de Fifteent’ done met 
dey match kaze dey ain’ nobuddy ter back ’em up en 
dey ammernishun done gin out. 

“Ah seed de orficers leab de lines en cut de ca’tagc 
boxes offen de daid sodgers en ez Ah’d got right 
spang in de fightin’, ’count er de lines failin’ back, Ah 


GITTYSBURG 


9i 


tu’nt in en hoped dem orficers gether up dat ammer* 
nishun en tote hit ter de sodgers whut wuz still er 
fightin’. 

“Dat sun hung up in dat sky tell hit look lak dey 
wuz er Josherway some’rs sho’ ’nuff; dem white 
mens fit on tell plum’ dark en den come de orders 
ter sleep on de lines. Dey wa’nt no sleepin’ done 
dat night do’; de wounded mens kep’ up sich er 
moanin’ en er beggin’ fer water. All dat night ouah 
mens wucked jes’ ez hard ter sabe de libes er de 
wounded ez dey’d wucked in de day ter tek ’em. But 
Ah couldn’ pay ’em no ’tenshun, Ah wuz fumblin’ 
’roun’ ober dat fiel’ in de dark lookin’ fer Marse 
Billy kaze ’e hadn’ answered ter roll call—ner 
Marse Pat ne’ther. 

“Ah foun’ Marse John Murden, ’e wuz waitin’ 
on ouah mens en Yankees jes’ er lak. Ah ax ’im 
had ’e seed air one uv ’em, en ’e say ’e seed ’em 
bofe in er place dey called de Debil’s Gap whar de 
wuss er de fightin’ wuz, en dat ’e ’fraid dey wus 
capchered kaze ’e ain’ seed er heerd nothin’ uv 
’em sence. Dat wa’nt whut Ah wuz skeerd uv but 
Ah went on huntin’—Ah couldn’ pay no ’tenshun 
ter dem wounded mens, dey wuz too many uv ’em. 

“All dat night Ah hunted Marse Billy en w’en 
day come Ah went ter look fer Marse Robert kaze 
Ah wanted some he’p. Ah foun’ ’is reg’ment but 


92 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


Marse Robert done been wounded en tuk off in er 
tfwberlance, en den Ah knowed dat ef Ah foun’ ’im 
ertall Ah had ter do hit merse’f kaze eben Marse 
Pat done fail me. 

“Ah went on back ter de fiel’ ter look some mo’ 
—de wounded mens wa’nt mekkin’ so much noise 
now, de bes’ uv ’em had done been picked up en 
mos’ er de yuthers wuz mo’ quiet. Ah went ober 
dat Simertary Hill en dey wa’nt er tom’stone lef’ 
stan’in’ en dey wuz er heap mo’ daid mens on top er 
de groun’ den dey wuz underneaf hit. Ah tried ter 
foller de parf er de Fifteent’ but hit wuz hard ter do 
ez all de lan’marks wuz shot ter pieces. 

“Right on top er de hill Ah stopped short, Ah 
made sho’ Ah had foun’ Marse Pat, but w’en Ah 
seed dat ’e had on er blue nuniform Ah knowed hit 
wuz ’is brudder ’stid er him. *E wuz layin’ on ’is 
back wid ’is blue eyes wide open, lookin’ at de sky. 
’E wuz jes’ one er all de yuthers, en Ah went on 
down de hill. Jes’ ez Ah went ter jump one er de 
twenches whut de Yankees had dug ’cross de fiel’ 
Ah seed er man, layin’ on ’is face, dat looked famil- 
yer. Ah tu’nt ’im ober en, sho’ ’nuff, hit wuz Marse 
Pat. ’E wuz shot up pitiful but ’e still hol’in ’is gun 
en hit drapped outen ’is han’s w’en Ah eased ’im 
down. 

“Ah sot down by ’im in all er dat death en ’struc- 


GITTYSBURG 


93 


tion en hit seem lak Ah couldn’ go no furder. ’Sides 
Marse Billy, ’e’d been de bes’ frien’ Ah eber had, 
en now dat ’e wuz gone Ah knowed Ah nuvver 
would fin’ Marse Billy no mo’. Ah thought ’bout 
Ol’ Marster en Miss Calline at home, ’pen’in’ on 
me ter bring ’im back, en how Ah gwine bring ’im 
w’en Ah cyan’ fin’ ’im? 

“W’en Ah come to Ah knowed Ah got ter gwan 
huntin’. Ah look at Marse Pat en ’e wuz layin’ 
dar smilin’, lak ’e alluz do, but Ah knowed Ah 
couldn’ do nothin’ fer ’im, en ’e sho’ couldn’ he’p 
me now. Ah tu’nt erway en tried ter go on down 
de hill but Ah couldn’ see nothin’ but Marse Pat’s 
smilin’ face, en all de time Ah knowed dat Marse 
Billy’d want me ter tek time ter bury ’im, en Ah 
tu’nt back.. 

“Ah knowed Ah couldn’ dig no grabe kaze Ah 
didn’ hab no shobel en dey wa’nt hardly room on 
de groun’. Ah jes’ tuk ’im under de arms en drug 
’im up dost ter de twench; en whilst Ah’s lookin’ 
fer er Yankee blanket ter wrop ’im up in Ah thought 
’bout ’is brudder on top er de hill, lookin’ up at dat 
July sun. Ah thought ’bout all dem times me en 
Marse Pat crossed dat ribber in de dark, en Ah 
knowed dat man ’ud hant me all mer days ef Ah lef’ 
’im dar. Ah went back en foun’ ’im. Jes’ ez Ah wuz 
tekkin’ off ’is ca’tage box en haversack so’s ’e’d be 


94 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


lighter ter tote, ’e wuz er big man lak Marse Pat, 
two er free Yankee orficers come up en ’fo’ Ah 
knowed dey wuz dar, dey wuz sayin’ somep’n ter 
me ’bout robbin’ de daid. 

“Ah stood up en tetched mer raggedy hat en say, 
‘ ’Scuse me, gent’mens, Ah ain’t er robbin’ dis man. 
’E had er brudder on ouah side dat sho’ wuz er 
frien’ ter me, en ez Ah wuz fixin’ ter bury ’im in de 
twench down yander Ah thought Ah’d come back 
en git ’im too. Hit wuz de bes’ Ah cu’d do ez Ah 
didn’ hab de heart ner de tools ter dig er grabe. 
Ef you gent’mens don’ b’l’ebe whut Ah’s sayin' 
jes’ step down de hill er piece en look at de yuther 
man en Ah think yer’ll see hit’s so.’ 

“Ah waited er minnit ter see ef dey’s gwine ter 
lemme gwan wid whut Ah’s doin’, en one uv ’em say 
’e’d he’p me ter tote ’im down de hill. Ah wuz 
sho’ glad er dat kaze Ah wuz so weak en hongry 
dat Ah fair stumbled ober de daid mens. Atter 
Ah’d fell er time er two anudder one er de mens 
come up en took mer place en dey toted de man on 
down de hill. W’en dey laid ’im down by Marse 
Pat yer sho’ couldn’ tell ’em apart, ’cep’n’ one had 
on er blue nuniform en de yuther had on no nuni- 
form ertall ter speak uv—’cep’n’ rags. 

“One er de orficers look at Marse Pat pitiful lak, 


GITTYSBURG 


95 


en den tell de yuthers ter look at de po’ feller's 
foots stickin’ out ’e shoes. 

“Ah didn’ want ’em ter be pityin’ uv ’im now, at- 
ter dey done kilt ’im, en Ah sez, ‘Gent’mens, Ah 
don’ think yer need ter bodder ’bout bein’ sorry 
fer dat man. ’E loved ter live en ’e loved ter fight 
en ’e went ter kingdom come er smilin’. Hit’s true 
’e wuz hongry er heap er times whilst ’e wuz heah 
but ’e alluz ’vided ’is las’ crus’ en now Ah b’l’ebes 
’e’s feas’in’ in Paridise wid dem saints whut ’e call 
on so reg’lar—kaze dey sho’ seemed ter he’p ’im 
out w’en ’e call on ’em, eben in ’is debilment.’ 

“De orficers didn’ mek no answer ter dat but 
dey hoped me ter wrop ’em up en lay ’em in dc 
twench, en den dey sot dar whilst Ah tuk er bay’net 
en scraped de dirt er de bre’s’work down on ’em tell 
Ah kivered ’em up. 

“Atter Ah’d finished Ah stood up en one er de 
orficers p’inted ’cross de fiel’ en tol’ me dat dey 
camp wuz ober dar en dat ef Ah’d go ter hit ’e’d 
gimme er pass fer ’em ter lemme in en gimme 
somep’n’ t’eat. 

“Ah tol’ ’im dat Ah’s much obleeged but Ah 
didn’ want nothin’ ’tall en dat Ah’s lookin’ fer mer 
young marster whut Ah bleeged ter fin’ kaze 01' 
Marster en Miss Calline done sont me wid ’im en 
tol’ me ter bring ’im back ter ’em ef anything 
happen. 


96 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


“ ’E ax me whut reg’ment did mer marster b’long 
ter en Ah tol’ ’im de Fifteent’, en dat ’e wuz las’ 
seen at Debil’s Gap. 

“ ’E shuck ’is haid en tell me dat ’e ’fraid Ah 
ain’ gwine ter fin’ ’im, dat de Fifteent’ might’ nigh 
fit ter de las’ man, en dat er heap er dem whut wuz 
lef’ wuz capchered at Debil’s Gap. ’E gimme er 
dollar do’, en er li’l* somep’n ter drink outen ’is 
canteen en Ah went on er sarchin’. 

“Atter Ah’d crossed de fiel’, mos’ ter de road, 
Ah heerd hosses tromplin’ en Ah looked up en 
seed ouah army wuz er movin’ souf but Ah wuz’n 
’sprized kaze Ah had already heerd de bugler blow 
boots en saddles, fer de kevelry. Ah watched de 
artillery go by—en Marse Robert’s kevelry reg’¬ 
ment. Ah seed Marse Billy’s reg’ment go ober de 
hill en down de road. Dey wa’nt many uv ’em—li’l’ 
mo’n er hund’ed,—Ah knowed whar mos’ uv ’em 
wuz, hit wuz jes’ Marse Billy en de flag Ah couldn’ 
fin’, en Miss Calline ’speckin’ me ter bring ’im home. 

“Ez de reg’ment pass me er heap er de mens 
motion at me fer ter come on, en w’en Cap’n Farm¬ 
er come up ’e speak ter me lak ’e gibin’ orders ter 
’is men—’e say, ‘Dave, git in line.’ 

“Ah tech mer hat en Ah say, ( ’Scuse me, Cap’n 
but Ah don’ b’long ter de army. Ah bleeged ter 


GITTYSBURG 


97 


stay tell Ah fin’ Marse Billy kaze ’is folks is ’speck¬ 
in’ me ter bring ’im home somehow. 

“Cap’n Farmer don’ say nothin’ else, ’e jes’ s’lute 
en rid on—yes, sir, ’e sho’ s’luted dis nigger—en 
atter ’e pass on eb’y sodger in de reg’ment whut wuz 
’hin’ ’im, s’lute ez ’e pass by, leabin’ me er cryin’ by 
merse’f on dat battlefiel’. 

“Ah watched de army out er sight en den dey 
wa’nt nothin’ lef’ ter me hut de fiel’. Ah tu’nt ’roun’ 
en went ober eb’y eench uv hit ergin en at las’, down 
in er holler in er li’l’ thicket, Ah foun’ ’im, layin’ 
on ’is face wid one arm under ’is haid en de yuther 
han’ shet tight ’roun’ de hick’ry saplin’ whut dey’d 
tied de flag ter w’en de pole wuz shot in two. 

“ ’E wuz so still dat Ah wuz skeered ter tech 
’im, Ah jes’ sot down by ’im en wondered how wuz 
Ah gwine ter git ’im back ter 01’ Miss kaze Ah 
wuz ’way behin’ de Yankee lines en Ah didn’ hab 
no money. Whilst Ah’s stiddyin’ Marse Billy sorter 
moan en mobe er li’l’ en, Lawd, ef Ah’d been ’lec- 
terfied Ah couldn’ er jumped no quicker! Ah for¬ 
got all ’bout bein’ tired en hongry en jes’ sot ter 
wuck right now. Ah tu’n ’im ober easy en call ’is 
name low lak, kaze Ah’s skeerd some er de Yankees 
whut wuz gwine ober de fiel’ buryin’ dey daid ’ud 
hear me. ’E don’ say nothin’ but ’e open ’is eyes 
en dey look sorter cur’os. Ah fill ’is canteen f’om 


98 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


er liT spring whut wuz so dost down under some 
rocks dat dey hadn’ no daid mens fell in hit en got 
’im ter swaller er liT water. Den Ah jes’ sot dar 
by ’im en baved ’is face en han’s en de woun’ in ’is 
shoulder dat ’e’d done stopped bleedin’, do hit 
looked pow’ful bad. 

“All dat ebenin’ Ah sot dar bavin’ Marse Billy 
en tryin’ ter ’cide whut ter do. De Yankee sod- 
gers wuz gwine ober dat fiel’, buryin’ de daid en 
totin’ off de res’ er de wounded whut wuz still er- 
libe, en Ah sho’ didn’ wan’er git coch down in dat 
holler wid Marse Billy kaze Ah knowed ’e’d be 
sont ter er prison camp en Ah’s skeerd dey wouldn’ 
lemme go wid ’im. 

“ ’Long in de cool er de ebenin’ do, things got 
mo’ quiet en Ah didn’ see nobuddy mobin in de fiel’. 
Marse Billy sorter come to, en ’e call me lak ’e 
know me. ’E look lak ’e feel er liT better en 
wanter talk. 

“ ’E ax me wuz de army gone en Ah tol’ ’im hit 
lef’ ’bout fo’ hours ergo. ’E’s too sick ter worry 
’bout dat but bymeby ’e seed de flag en ’e ax me 
whut is us gwine ter do wid hit —en Ah sho’ cyan 
tell ’im dat. 

“ ’E seem lak ’e stiddyin’ ’bout hit er long time, 
en nen ’e say, ‘Dave, mos’ er de mens whut fit fer 
dat flag is er lyin’ on dat fiel’ out dar, en ef us is 


GITTYSBURG 


99 


behin’ de enemies lines hit’ll sho’ be foun’ ’fo’ us 
kin tek hit erway. De bes’ thing ter do wid hit is 
ter bury hit right heah.’ 

“Ez fur ez Ah cu’d see dey wa’nt nothin’ else ter 
do, so Ah tuk ’is bay’net en dug er hole, den Ah cut 
dat ol’ raggedy flag offen dat hick’ry saplin’ en 
folded hit up, all soppin’ wid Marse Billy’s blood, 
en buried hit dar in Debil’s Gap jes’ ez de sun 
went down—en dat wuz de reezon why de flag er 
de Fifteent’ Ga. wa’nt nuvver foun’.” 


CHAPTER VII 


SURROUNDED BY DE EN'MY 

“COON ez Ah finished buryin’ de flag Ah tu’nt 
’roun’ ter Marse Billy. ’E wuz layin’ wid ’is 
arm up ober ’is face en ’e so still dat Ah gits skeerd 
ergin. Ah looks closter, do, en Ah seed de tears 
wuz er drappin’ offen ’is cheeks. Ah don’ say noth¬ 
in’, Ah jes’ sets en waits. Ah knowed ’e felt ez bad 
ez de bigges’ gin’el in de army but dey wa’nt nothin* 
Ah cu’d say ter comfort ’im. 

“Atter while do, ’e wipe ’is eyes on ’is sleebe en 
say ter me, jes’ lak er li’l’ boy, ‘Dave, how is you 
gwine ter git me out er heah?’ 

“De Lawd knowed ’e don’ ax me somep’n Ah 
couldn’ answer but Ah don’ tell ’im dat; Ah jes’ 
say confidenshal lak, ‘Ah ain’ ’zackly ’cided dat yit. 
Ah jes’ waitin’ fer hit ter git er li’l’ darker so’s Ah 
kin step off er piece en see how de lan’ lays.’ 

“ ’E seem ter be saterfied wid dat, en w’en Ah’d 
made ’im up er baid outen de blankets Ah’d ker- 
lected f’om de fiel’ atter de Yankees lef’, ’e lay 
back en look lak ’e wanter sleep. Ah baves ’is face 
en rubs ’is haid en ’twa’nt long ’fo’ ’e draps off. 

“Ah sets dar by ’im en watches ’im er while en 
(ioo) 


SURROUNDED BY DE EN’MY 


IOI 


’e look ter me lak Vs consider’ble better. Ah’d 
cut de shirt often ’is shoulder en de tail often de 
shirt fer er bandage, en fixed ’is woun’ up all right. 
Hit wa’nt sich er bad woun’, en do de ball had went 
plum’ thoo de shoulder Ah didn’ b’l’ebe no bones 
wuz broke. Mer min’ wuz sutten’y relieved ’bout 
’im en Ah jes’ sot dar stiddyin’ ’bout how wuz Ah 
gwine ter git ’im out dat place. Ah sho’ griebed 
’bout Marse Pat. So fur hit’d took me en him en 
de good Lawd ter tek keer uv Marse Billy, en now 
hyr Ah wuz way up heah wid nobuddy ter he’p me 
but jes’ de Lawd—en Ah didn’ hab no money ’cep’n* 
de dollar whut de Yankee orficer gi’ed me. 

“Jes’ ’fo’ dark, w’en hit wuz gittin’ sorter chilly 
down in dat holler, Ah thought ez eb’ything wuz so 
still hit’d be safe fer me ter leab ’im er while en 
Ah drawed ’is blankets up er li’l’ closter en went 
on up de hill ter de road. 

“Ah stood dar er while, tryin’ ter ’cide which 
way ter go. Way off ter de right Ah cu’d see de 
line er camp fiahs, whar Ah knowed de Yankee 
sodgers wuz cookin’ dey supper—en Ah hadn’ had 
er bite t’eat sence day ’fo’ yistiday. Not fur ter 
de lef’ wuz dey picket line en so dey wa’nt nothin’ 
lef’ me but de big road. 

“Ah walked on er piece, lookin’ f’om side ter 
side. De houses wuz so shot up dat yer needen’ 


102 


CONFED’RIC GOU 


’speck ter fin’ nobody in ’em en Ah walked on fer 
’bout ha’f er mile ’dout meetin’ er livin’ dawg. 
Ah wuz ’bout ter gib up en gwan back, kaze Ah wuz 
skeerd ter leab Marse Billy so long w’en, er liT 
piece off ter de right, Ah seed er big white house dat 
look so much lak ouahn at home dat Ah bleeged 
ter go in. 

“Ah smelt ham er fryin’ en cawfy b’ilin’ en Ah 
steps ’roun’ ter de back en up ter de kitchen do’, 
whuch wuz open. Dar wuz er big fat black gal 
in dar cookin’ supper en she sutteny did look home- 
lak ter me. Ah knowed Ah nuvver did hab no 
sort er luck wid nigger wimmins—leas’ways not wid 
dem up dar—but Ah bleeged ter do de bes’ Ah 
kin so Ah steps up er li’l’ closter en teks off mer 
ol’ hat en sez, ‘Good ebenin’, Miss.’ 

“De gal look at me en den she look ’roun’ lak 
she ’speckin’ ter see somebuddy else in de kitchen; 
en w’en she don’ see nobudy she ax, ‘Whar yer 
come f’om?’ 

“ ‘O, ’roun’ erbout,’ sez I, tryin’ ter ac’ airish 
lak de res’ er de niggers up dar. 

“ ‘Well yer better gwan whar yer come f’om ’fo’ 
Ah knocks yer dar wid er stick er fiah wood,’ sez 
she whilst she tu’n de gre’t big slices er ham, sizzlin’ 
in de skellet. 

“Ah couldn’ no mo’ he’p steppin’ inter dat kitch- 


SURROUNDED BY DE EN’MY 


103 


en dan Ah cu’d he’p breavin’. Ah eases up ter de 
gal whilst ’er back wuz tu’nt en sez, ‘Aw, gwan 
honey, lemme hab somp’n t’eat.’ 

“Dat gal wheel ’roun’ at me wid er kittle er 
9 caldin’ water en say, ‘Git out er mer kitchen, yer 
long laiged ashy debil you, ’fo’ Ah po’s dis water 
on yer. Yer nee’nter think jes’ kaze Ah follered 
Miss Betsy up ter dis ongawdly place dat Ah’ll 
stan’ ter be ’suited at by er triflin’ low lifted free 
nigger.’ 

“Dem sho’ wuz pleasant words ter me kaze Ah 
knowed whar Ah wuz sta’in’ now. Ah draps all 
dat foolishness en ’splains mer circumstanches en 
tells er all ’bout Marse Billy layin’ ober dar in dat 
fiel’, s’rounded by de enemy. 

“She lissen ’tell Ah got thoo en den she gimme 
all Ah want ter eat—she sho’ wuz er ’zernin* 
pusson. Atter dat she gimme er bottle er hot soup 
en fill up mer canteen full er cawfy en say Ah kin 
gwan back kaze she know de place en dat she’ll 
see cyan’ she git somebuddy ter he’p me atter dark. 

“Ah jes’ couldn’ thank dat gal but Ah done de 
bes’ Ah could en tuk whut she gimme en started on 
back up de road. Ah wa’nt lookin’ forrard wid no 
pleasure ter crossin’ dat fiel’ atter dark, do Ah wa’nt 
’speckin’ nobuddy ter be stirrin’ ’roun’—leas’ways 
not nobuddy yer cu’d see er hear—en Ah sho’ wuz 
anxious ter git back ter Marse Billy. 


104 


CONFED’RIC GOV 


“Ah foun’ ’im jes’ lak Ah le£’ ’im but Ah couldn' 
stan’ hit by merse’f so Ah woked ’im up—en too. 
Ah knowed ’e reely needed dat hot soup whut de 
gal sont. 

“ ’E drunk hit ter de las’ drap en den ’e drunk 
some er de cawfy too. ’E look lak ’e feel toler’ble 
well en Ah couldn’ keep ’im f’om talkin’. 

“ ’E ax me ’bout all de boys in de comp’ny, en 
dey wa’nt many lef’ ter tell ’im ’bout. ’E’d seed 
Marse Pat fall en Ah sho’ Gawd wuz glad Ah cu’d 
tell ’im dat Ah’d went back en buried ’im. Dat 
fiel’ wuz one lonesome place dat night en ’peared lak 
Marse Billy didn’ wan’er talk ’bout nothin’ but 
daid folks. 

“All at onct Ah felt somebuddy cornin’ en Ah 
looked up. De moon wuz er shinin’ on dat parf ez 
bright ez day en Ah seed er lady cornin’ down hit 
dat Ah wuz sho’ stepped right f’om hebben. ’Er 
dress wuz white en er ha’r wuz gol’ en she too 
purty ter b’long ter dis sinful worl’. Ah wuz 
skeered she done come fer Marse Billy en Ah draps 
down on mer knees ’side ’im, do’ Ah knows Ah cyan’ 
perteck ’im f’om ’er ef she wan’ ’im. 

“Marse Billy done seed ’er now en bofe uv us 
is so still dat she don’ notice us en she stop jes’ 
’fo’ she got ter us. 

“She tu’n ’roun’ en say, ‘Hanner, didn’ yer say 


SURROUNDED BY DE EN’MY 


105 


dis wuz de place?’ en bress de good Lawd! right 
’hiii’ er wuz de black gal whut gimme de soup, en 
wid ’er wuz er black boy dey called Peter. 

“Ah knowed den dat de lady wuz Miss Betsy en 
dat dey’d come ter he’p me. Ah stood up en made 
de bes’ bow Ah could en tried ter ’splain ter ’er dat 
hit wa’nt nachel fer Marse Billy, er ’is nigger, ter 
be so raggedy; but dat hit wuz all on ’count uv ’is 
bein’ in de war en not ’count uv ouah reg’lar cir- 
cumstanches, whuch wuz uv de very bes’ en de 
highes’ quality besides. 

“Miss Betsy don’ look lak she misbelieb nothin’ 
Ah tol’ ’er en she ax Marse Billy how do ’e feel. 

“Marse Billy done brighten up right smart en ’e 
tell ’er ’e fellin’ very well now. 

“She tell ’im dat she gwine ter tek ’im wid ’er 
but she bleeged ter put ’im in de attick on ’count 
uv ’er uncle whut she stayin’ wid bein’ er nunion 
orficer. She say ’e won’ ’low ’im in de house ef ’e 
know hit en dat dese two whut wuz wid ’er is ’er 
own niggers en de onlies’ ones she kin ’pen’ on fer 
nothin’. 

“Marse Billy tell ’er dat ’e don’ keer whar she 
put ’im, en dat ’e’s ’stremely gratified fer any he’p 
ertall kaze us sho’ couldn’ git out dat place by 
ouahse’fs. 

Miss Betsy tell ’im don’ mention hit en dat ’er 


io6 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


own brudder wuz fightin’ on ouah side, den she mo¬ 
tion fer Peter ter bring de stretcher en me en ’im 
put Marse Billy on hit en starts on ’cross dat fiel’ 
ergin—en Ah sho’ Gawd wuz glad ter hab comp’ny 
yer cu’d see en hear. 

“W’en us got mos’ ter de house Miss Betsy toY 
Hanner ter gwan erhaid en see ef us cu’d git in 
’dout nobuddy knowin’ hit. She gwan er li’l’ piece 
en nen she come back en motion fer us ter c’m’on. 
W’en us got ter de house us went up de sta’rs en 
den up some mo’ sta’rs ter de attick whar Miss 
Betsy had done made up er baid fer Marse Billy on 
er big ol’ sofy. She had done laid ’im out some 
clean clo’es too; en w’en Hanner foch up er kettle 
er hot water Ah sho’ made Marse Billy look nachel 
in less’n no time. 

“Hit’s de trufe, ’e don’ been raggedy so long dat 
Ah mos’ forgot whut er pussonable lookin’ young 
gent’man ’e wuz en Ah sho’ wuz proud uv ’im w’en 
Miss Betsy come back en see how us wuz fixed up. 

“She look lak she ain’ so pow’ful displeased wid 
’im ’erse’f en whilst Ah sorter watches Hanner out 
de cornders uv mer eyes she sets dar en talks ter 
’im er right smart while. She tell ’im dat ’er uncle 
wuz wid de Yankee army—not de one whut we fit 
at Gittysburg but annudder one—en dat ’e won’ be 
home fer some li’l’ time, lessen ’e change ’is plans. 


SURROUNDED BY DE EN’MY 


107 


She say she hope Marse Billy’d be well ’fo’ ’e git 
home en dat she cu’d fin’ some way ter git ’im thoo 
de lines back ter ’is army ’dout de Yankees fin’in 
hit out. 

“Marse Billy say ’e hope so too; but ’e ac’ mighty 
onconsarned ’bout hit, seein’ ez how ’e ain’ been dat 
way befo’. 

“Bymeby Miss Betsy tell ’im dat she know ’e 
tired en she ’speck she better go. ’E tell ’er ’e 
feel mighty res’ful en dat ’e ain’ sleepy ’tall. 

“ ’Is cheecks so flushed en ’is eyes wuz so bright 
dat Ah’s skeerd de fever wuz cornin’ back on ’im 
but ’e talk sensible ’nuff en Miss Betsy set er liT 
while longer en den she tol’ ’im ‘goodnight’ en lef 
’im sho’ ’nuff. 

“ ’E slep’ jes’ lak er baby all dat night, en w’en 
she come up in de mawnin’ wid ’is bre’kfus’ ’e 
look so han’some in de clean clo’es she’d gi’ed ’im, 
en so much lak ’isse’f, dat Ah cu’d hardly b’l’ebe hit 
wuz him. 

“ ’E et all de bre’kfus’ she foch ’im whilst she 
sot dar by de sofy, axin’ ’im queschons. ’E tol’ ’er 
’bout de battle en ’bout de buryin’ uv de flag so’s 
de Yankees won’ fin’ hit. 

“De tears wuz in ’er eyes but she tell ’im she 
glad dey cyan’ git de flag anyhow en dat she’d 
heerd one er de Yankee orficers say dat dey’d los’ 


108 CONFED’RIC GOL’ 

so many mens in dat fight dat dey couldn’ foller 
up ouah army tell dey got some mo’. 

“Atter dey finish talkin’ ’bout de battle Marse 
Billy tell ’er who ’e is en whar ’e’s f’om. She tell 
’im she f’om Richmon’ but dat er folks wuz ’vided 
in de war. She say dey hadn’ fell out ’bout hit do’, 
en dat she’d been sont ter ’er uncle kaze dey didn’ 
think Richmon’ wuz er safe place. She say she 
didn’ wan’er come, dat she wan’er go ter de hoss- 
pital en nuss de wounded en er folks say she wa’nt 
ol’ ’nuff, but she know she wuz. She say she been 
er he’ppin’ ouah sodgers eb’y chanct she got anyhow. 

“Miss Betsy come up ter see us lak dat fer er 
week er mo’ en dey got right soshiable. Marse 
Billy peartened up tell yer wouldn’ b’l’ebe hit wuz 
him. Den one day she didn’ come ertall, en Hanner 
slips up wid ouah vittles en say dat Miss Betsy 
cyan’ come tell night kaze ’er uncle wuz done come 
back onexpected en she don’ wan’er ’cite no ’spish- 
ons. She say too, fer me not ter show mer black 
face at nair window. Ah knowed Miss Betsy hadn’ 
said dat—leas’ways not dat erway—but Hanner 
en me had done ’stablish er right good onderstan’- 
in’ by now en Ah didn’ tek no ’fense at ’er. 

“But anyhow, us sho’ stayed dost dat day en hit 
wuz long er good while atter supper ’fo’ Miss 
Betsy come er tiptoin’ up de steps wid ’er blue nun- 


SURROUNDED BY DE EN’MY 


109 


iform. She set dar by Marse Billy en talk ter ’im 
er good while. She tell ’im dat she sorry fer ’im 
ter leab so soon, but she heerd ’er uncle say er big 
Yankee army wuz er movin’ souf atter ouah mens 
en dat she skeerd ’e’ll be cut off f’om de army sho’ 
’nuff ef ’e don’ gwan now. 

“Marse Billy don’ look lak ’e’s r’arin’ ter go 
ez ’e’d alluz been, but ’e ’greed wid ’er dat hit’s de 
bes’ ’e kin do. She tol’ ’im den dat dey wuz er 
hoss saddled en waitin’ at de back gate en jes’ ez 
soon ez she thought ’e’d had time ter git ’is clo’es 
on she’d start ter playin’ de pianner en gib ’im er 
chanct ter git out whilst she ’stractin’ ’er uncle’s 
’tenshun. Den she tol’ ’im goodby whilst mer back 
wuz tu’nt—Ah wuz tryin’ ter see ef Ah cu’d git 
er las’ word wid Hanner—but Marse Billy sho’ 
didn’ seem ter have no sperrit ter put on dat blue 
nuniform en Ah’s skeerd ’e ain’ so well atter all. 

“Ah hurries ’im all Ah kin do, en er li’l’ while 
’fo’ Ah git ’im dressed de pianner start up lak Miss 
Betsy tryin’ ter mek all de fuss she kin. ’Stid er 
hurryin’ Marse Billy on howsomeber, dat music 
had er diff’ent effeck. ’E jes’ stood stock still lis’- 
nin’ ter dat chune plum’ ter de een’. Atter hit 
stop do’, ’e look lak ’e dunno whut ter do, en dat ’e 
wush ’e hadder went on whilst times wuz good. Us 
stood dar er minnit tryin’ ter ’cide whut ter do but 


no 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


Miss Betsy strack inter Yankee Doodle, en us 
nuvver had no trouble ’tall ’bout gittin’ out de 
house. 

“Us foun’ de hoss whar Miss Betsy tol’ us hit 
wuz en Ah got up ’hin’ Marse Billy en us tuk de 
road whut she tol’ us ter tek; but all de time us 
wuz er ridin’ Ah notice dat Marse Billy wuz er 
whistlin’ dat fus’ chune under ’is breff lak ’e tryin’ 
ter fix hit in ’is min’, en atter dat Ah nuvver knowed 
’im ter tek up ’is fiddle ’dout playin’ dat chune fus’. 

“Us rid mos’ all night ’fo’ us foun’ de place whar 
de army wuz camped en hit wuz jes’ ouah luck not 
ter know air man on picket gyard dat night. Marse 
Billy went f’om one ter de yuthers, ’splainin’ who 
us wuz but ’e didn’ know de pass word en us couldn’ 
git in. 

“Us waits tell dey change gyards but us didn’ 
hab no better luck, en Marse Billy’d ’bout ’cided 
us’d hatter wait tell mawnin’ w’en us seed er liT 
fat I’shman gwine todes de camp wid two big white 
gooses. Us knowed by de way ’e wuz walkin’ dat 
gooses wa’nt de onlies’ thing ’e wuz totin’ en Marse 
Billy steps up en axes ’im don’ ’e want ’im ter he’p 
’im wid de gooses. 

“De I’shman try ter stan’ er li’P mo’ stiddy en 
’e ax Marse Billy do ’e know de password er de 


SURROUNDED BY DE EN’MY 


hi 


night, en Marse Billy bleeged ter tell ’im dat ’e don’ 
know hit. 

“De man say, ‘Well yer cyan’ git in ’dout yer says, 
‘Buregyard ’, en ’e staggers on. 

“Marse Billy laff ter ’isse’f en wait er li’l’, en 
den ’e goes up ter de gyard en gi’ed ’im de word en 
us walks thoo de lines. ’E’s done put on ’is ol’ rag¬ 
gedy gray nuniform en hit wuz gittin’ light now en 
us didn’ hab no trouble in fin’in’ whut wuz lef’ er de 
Fifteenth” 


CHAPTER VIII 


DE BATTLE ERBOVE DE CLOUDS 


“H IT wuz long to’des de las’ er de fightin’ w’en 
us moved on down ter Tennysee. Us had been 
crowded out er de Callinas en us ’sputed eb’y step 
er de way en didn’ gib er eench er groun’ lessen us 
had ter. Atter us got ter Tennysee us took er stan’ 
at Chattanoogy en den all de reg’ments whut cu’d 
git togedder commenst ter kerleck ’roun’ dat place 
tell Ah knowed dey wuz boun’ ter be er fight dar 
’fo’ long. 

“De ol’ Fifteent’ didn’ look lak de same reg’ment, 
dey wuz so many new mens in hit—dat is, new f’om 
whut us started wid. De mens didn’ laff en sing 
’roun’ de fiah ne’ther, lak us did at fus\ but Ah 
couldn’ see dat dey’d los’ none er dey fightin’ qual¬ 
ities. Dat Fifteent’ sho’ wuz er rank fightin’ reg’¬ 
ment. 

“Ah’d got sorter hardened ter de fightin’ by now 
but hit did look lak er pity ter git dat dost ter 
home en den ter stop en fight en mebby git kilt ’fo’ 
us got dar. 

“De part uv de army whut us wuz wid tuk dey 
stan’ at Mish’nary Ridge on Lookout Mounting. 

(112) 


DE BATTLE ERBOVE DE CLOUDS 113 


Marse Robert’s kevelry reg’ment went on erhaid 
uv us en dey’s er right smart uv er squirmish at er 
farmhouse at de foot er de mounting. W’en us 
got dar de house wuz shot up scan’lous, de fences 
wuz all down en dey wuz er big ol’ sow layin’ out 
in de yard, daid. Ah sutten’y didn’ expeck ter see 
nobuddy at dat place but dey wuz er tall white 
’oman runnin’ ’roun’ de house tryin’ ter kerleck up 
er litter er liT pigs, en dey’s er runnin’ en er squeal¬ 
in’ so fas’ er bullet couldn’ tech ’em. 

“W’en de ’oman seed us cornin’ she forgot ’bout 
de pigs en snatch up er broom en lambasted dem 
sodgers scan’lous whilst she holler, ‘Git out mer 
yard, yer dam’ rebels. Er critter comp’ny * jes’ come 
thoo heah en formed er line er battle in dis yard 
en dey tu’nt ober mer ash hopper. Git out Ah say!’ 
en de ’oman use de broom so reckless dat de mens 
sorter circled ’roun’ de yard ’dout passin’ thoo it. 
(Yer see Tennysee wuz one er dem ’vided states 
en w’en yer got ’mongst dem folks in de mountings 
yer couldn’ tell who wuz fer de norf en who wuz 
fer de souf en hit gid yer er mighty res’less sorter 
feelin’ kaze yer couldn’ tell whar yer wuz gwine 
tell yer got dar.) 

“Hit look lak ter me wid all dat litterment en de 
daid sow spraid ober de yard dat de ’oman cu’d er 


* A horse, hence a Cavalry Company. 



CONFED’RIC GOV 


114 

foun’ er better complaint dan de ash hopper, but 
’twan’ nothin’ ter me, en Ah steps ’roun’ de yard 
merse’f. 

“Dat wuz de cur’osest fight Ah eber got mixed 
up in en Ah sho’ wa’nt sorry w’en us had ter come 
down en tu’n dat mounting ober ter de Yankees. 
Yer see w’en de fight reely started us wuz up on top 
er de mounting en dey sho’ wa’nt no lack er rocks 
ter hide behin’. Ah had er good place ter watch 
en Ah b’l’ebes Ah seed mo’ er de nachel fightin’ den 
Ah did in air battle Ah’d been in yit. Ah foun’ er 
big rock en motions fer Marse Billy ter git ’hin’ 
hit, kaze ’e cu’d shoot jes’ ez good en de bullets en 
de Minnie balls wouldn’ hab nigh sich er chanct at 
’im; but ’e jes’ tell me ter go ter de debil en gwan 
r’arin’ en chargin’ ober dat mounting wid all de 
yuthers. 

“Us didn’ hab ha’f ez many mens ter start wid 
ez de Yankees but us wuz er fiahin’ down on ’em en 
hit look lak us boun’ ter win dis fight. De fus’ thing 
us knowed, howsomeber, er gray cloud ez thick ez 
er blanket jes’ rolled long de mounting side en kiv- 
ered up dat whole Yankee army lak de good Lawd 
wuz tryin’ ter ’teck ’em f’om us. De cloud jes’ 
close in ’roun’ de mounting so dat us couldn’ see 
nothin’ below hit en den hit roll up tell us wuz stan’- 
in’ in hit. Hit look tur’ble ’nuff den, but terreckly 


DE BATTLE ERBOVE DE CLOUDS 115 


de lightnin’ en de thunder start up in dat cloud en 
hit look lak de Ol’ Marster done tuk up de fight 
whar de mens lef’ off, en Ah don’ min’ tellin’ yer 
dat Dave wuz skeerd plum’ stiff. 

“Up ’hove us de sky wuz ez blue, en de sun wuz 
shinin’ nachel; but us wuz shet clean off f’om de 
yerth en dey wa’nt nothin’ ter ’stract de good 
Lawd’s ’tenshun f’om yer. Hit sho’ wuz er good 
place ter stiddy ’bout yer pas’ behavior en Ah don’ 
b’l’ebe Ah wuz de only man dar whut wuz thinkin* 
’bout some er de things ’e’d done er li’l’ bit diff’- 
ent f’om whut ’e though w’en ’e done ’em. 

“De cloud got so thick dat ouah mens stopped 
fiahin’ kaze dey didn’ hab no ammernishun ter was’ 
but de Ol’ Marster kep’ ’is artillery gwine en Ah 
didn’ know who ’e’s fightin’ fer. Ef ’e wuz on dey 
side Ah couldn’ onderstan’ howcome ’e wuz kaze 
Marse Billy sho’ wuz on ouahn. But de ways uv 
Providence is sho’ misteer’ous en Ah didn’ wanter 
stan’ in de way. Ah sho’ would er been glad ter git 
off er dat mounting sooner dan whut Ah did. 

“By de time de cloud rolled erway de Yankees 
wuz done got some mo’ reinforcements en made er 
li’l’ better stan’; kaze all de time dey wuz shet off 
f’om us day cu’d see whut dey wuz doin’, en de 
rain whut fell outen dat cloud nuvver mo’ en laid 
de dus’. 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


116 

“Attcr dc cloud pass de fightin’ start up crgin, 
ranker’n eber, cn hit look lak de Fifteent’ gwine ter 
fight ter de las’ man dis time sho } ’nuff . Hones’ ter 
Gawd Ah b’l’ebes dem free days fightin’ wuz de 
hardes’ us done in de whole war. 

“Atter hit wuz ober us had ter fall back clean 
inter Georgia en Lawd! how Ah did wanter gwan 
home. W’en Ah speak ter Marse Billy ’bout hit 
’e say ’e puffetly willin’ fer me ter go, but dat ’e 
cyan’ go ’isse’f. ’E say dat de niggers all gwine 
ter be free anyhow en Ah cu’d tek mer freedom now 
kaze Ah’d sutten’y been faithful ter ’im en ter de 
reg’ment. ’E say ’e don’ blame me fur wantin’ ter 
go, dat ’e wanter go ’isse’f but ’e got ter stay ter 
de een’. 

“Marse Billy sho’ did misjedge me dat time. Ah 
dunno howcome ’e thought Ah wanter go leab ’im 
now w’en ’e too broken sperrited ter cuss me ’bout 
teasin’ ’im ter do somep’n ’e ain’ gwine ter do ef ’e 
kin. 

“Dey sutten’y wuz tur’ble times do’, ouah mens 
wuz all kilt out en dey wa’nt no mo’ ter tek dey 
place. Dey had done tuk in all de boys whut wuz 
ol’ ’nuff ter tote er gun en er heap whut wa’nt. Dey 
wa’nt nobuddy at home ter raise no craps ’cep’n’ 
de niggers; en niggers, w’en dey’s lef’ ter deyse’fs, 
is sho’ er low down nashun ter put yer ’pen’ence on. 


DE BATTLE ERBOVE DE CLOUDS 117 

De railroads wuz all to’ up en de folks at home 
couldn’ sen’ us whut li’l’ dey had—en hit wuz whut 
yer cu’d git er nothin’ now. 

“Sometimes Ah thinks dat de sodgers whut didn’ 
hatter pass thoo dem las’ two ye’rs er de war wuz 
let off easy. Dar wuz Marse Billy now, er young 
gent’man uv quality en circumstanches, shiverin’ 
’roun’ de fiah, ez raggedy ez er buzzard in sheddin’ 
time. W’en ’e ma’ched ober de friz up roads ’is 
foots wuz so bar’ dat ’e lef’ blood in ’is tracks in 
de snow. Eb’y man in de reg’ment wuz jes’ ez bad 
off ’en de orficers deyse’fs looked lak dey’d been 
sont fer en couldn’ come, kaze mos’ uv ’em wouldn’ 
tek no better’n whut de foot sodgers had. Dey all 
look jes’ ’bout alak; de bottom rail sutten’y wuz on 
top. De quality en de trash done met fer sho’, en 
dey look lak dey’s er li’l’ mo’ pleased wid one anud- 
der dan whut dey ’spected ter be. 

“Us had done went back up ’bout Richmon’ er- 
gin—das’ whar us made ouah las’ stan’—en hit wuz 
ez col’ ez hit wuz de winter befo’. Ah wuz fair 
’stracted ’bout Marse Billy’s foots tell one day Ah 
seed er nigger gwine ’roun’ wid ’is foots wropped 
up in pieces er raw cowhide wid de ha’r tu’nt in, en, 
gentermens! Ah nuvver stopped dat day tell Ah 
met up wid er cow. Stock wa’nt ter be foun’ prom- 
isc’us lak ertall in dem days en Ah rambled jes’ 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


118 

’bout all day ’fo’ Ah peeked thoo de cracks uv er 
ol’ barn en seed whut Ah wanted. Hit wuz er easy 
matter ter loosen er few planks f’om de back en 
drive de cow out. ’E didn’ seem ter be so ’tached 
ter ’is folks ez ol’ Sal wuz en Ah druv ’im so lively 
dat us got ter camp ’fo’ sundown. 

“W’en Ah got dar Ah axed some er de sodgers 
ter he’p me kill ’im ’fo’ Marse Billy foun’ out ’bout 
hit, do’ ’e had might’ nigh stopped axin’ me whar 
Ah got truck. De cow tu’nt out ter be er steer so 
ol’ yer couldn’ hardly drink ’is soup, but dat wuz 
all de better fer ’is hide. 

“Ah cut off er sizable piece en went up ter Marse 
Billy whar ’e wuz er warmin’ ’is foots by de fiah en 
Ah spraided hit down wid de ha’r side up en tol’ 
’im ter put ’is foots on hit. Atter ’e set ’is foots in 
place Ah tuk mer knife en cut ’roun’ de aidges en 
brought ’em up en laced ’em on wid rawhide strips. 

“All de time Ah wuz er fixin’ ’im up lak dat Ah 
wuz er cryin’ en er thinkin’ ’bout de times Ah’d sot 
by Miss Calline’s fiah en put ’is liT shoes on ’is liT 
white foots w’en ’e wuz jes’ er li’l’ boy, so safe at 
home; en now Ah’d come ter wroppin’ uv ’em up 
lak de niggers whut b’longst ter po’ white folks. 

“W’en Ah got thoo Marse Billy look at ’is foots 
en den ’e look at me. Ah tried ter keep ’im f’om 
seein’ Ah’s cryin’ en ’e try ter look lak ’e don’ see 


DE BATTLE ERBOVE DE CLOUDS 119 


hit. ’E jes’ grin en cut de pigin wing ’roun’ de 
fiah en ’e say, ‘Dave, dey’s ez fine ez er fiddle. Is 
yer got some fer yerse’f? 

“Hit alluz mek things look er liT bit diff’ent 
w’en Marse Billy grin, en dat night, atter us drunk 
whut us could er de steer’s soup, me en Marse Billy 
runned er reg’lar shoemakin’ bizness ez long ez de 
hide hilt out—en f’om dat time on er cow stood er 
mighty slim showin’ in dat kimmunity.” 


CHAPTER IX 


confed’ric gol’ 

“AH ain’ gwine ter try ter tell yer ’bout dat las’ 
fightin’ ’roun’ Richmon’ en at Five Forks, hit 
wuz so mixed up en de sodgers wuz so wo’ out dat 
dey cu’d skasely tote dey guns. Me en Marse Billy 
wuz in all uv hit, en ’e reely couldn’ er kep’ out to’des 
de las’ effen ’e’d wanted ter, kaze dey’d tuk in plenty 
boys ez young ez him—en plenty ol’ mens too—en 
eben wid dat de sodgers wuz ’bout seben yards apart 
in some places in dat fight at Five Forks. 

“On ’count er me not havin’ no love fer de nachel 
fightin’, en on ’count er tryin’ ter keep ez fur f’om 
hit ez Ah cu’d en still look atter Marse Billy, Ah 
hadn’ nuvver seed Gine’l Lee tell atter dat las’ fight. 
Atter de fight do’, ’e called all ’is mens togedder en 
made ’em er speech. 

“Ah reely didn’ onderstan’ much er de speech, 
dey wuz er good deal ’bout ’e don’ wan’er lose no 
mo’ lives, en ’bout buildin’ up de kentry, en ’bout 
de s’rinder. 

“De gine’l sho’ wuz er fine figger uv er man fer 
’is aige; ’e sot ’is hoss so straight en hilt ’is haid 
so high you sho’ wouldn’ er thought ’e’d los’ noth- 
(l20) 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


121 


in’ effen ’is voice hadn’ been so sorrowful. De mens 
wuz all gethered ’roun’ in dey ol’ raggedy gray 
nuniforms, leanin’ on dey guns, en Gine’l Lee sot 
up on er big gray hoss talkin’ ter ’em. 

“Ah nuvver is seed dat many mens so still, dey 
jes’ stan’ wid dey haids down lis’nin’. All de time 
’e wuz er talkin’ Gine’l Lee’s voice wuz stiddy but 
hit mek yer wan’er cry eben ef yer is jes’ er nigger 
en dunno whut ’e sayin’ kaze hit soun’ lak ’e cryin’ 
inside. 

“Atter ’e finish, eb’ything so still dat Ah look 
’roun’ ter see howcome de mens don’ holler en 
hoorah lak dey been er doin’ w’en de gine’ls talked 
ter ’em en, Lawdl ef dat whole army wa’nt er 
cryin’. 

“Ah’d seed plenty mo’ er dem mens cry ’sides 
Marse Billy, do’ dey alluz seemed ter try ter keep 
hit sorter private; but now dey look lak dey don’ 
keer who see ’em. Ah looks back at Gine’l Lee en 
’e wuz cryin’ too, ’e jes’ tu’n ’is hoss en rid off but 
’e ain’ hol’in’ ’is haid high no mo’. 

“Ah goes up ter Marse Billy en ax ’im whut do 
de speech mean, en ’e say, ‘Hit means dat de war is 
ober.’ 

“Ah ax ’im wuz us gwine home, en ’e say us wuz, 
en den—hit’s de Gawd’s trufe—’e cry some mo’. 
Dem white mens sho’ wuz hard ter saterfy. 


122 


CONFED’RIC GOV 


“ ’E so sorry ’bout hit dat Ah don’ want ’im ter 
see how glad Ah is but Ah bleeged ter try ter com¬ 
fort ’im somehow ef Ah kin. Ah tell ’im nemmine 
’bout hit so much, us’ll git home time ’nuff ter start 
some kin’ uv er crap en us sho’ won’ be hongry no 
mo’. 

“ ’E don’ cuss me ertall, ’e jes’ tol’ me please 
(please, min’ yer)ter gwan en let ’im ’lone; en Ah 
dassent say nothin’ else ter ’im. 

“De mens don’ start home do, dey jes’ sets ’roun’ 
atter roll call lak los’ sheeps. Dey don’ eben talk 
none; en w’en Ah seed Ah couldn’ fin’ out nothin’ 
’dout axin’, Ah axes one uv em why us don’ gwan 
home. 

“De man don’ look at me ertall, ’e jes’ drawed 
er long breff en say dat us ain’ s’rindered yit. Ah 
looks at ’im en ’cides Ah won’ ax ’im how is us 
gwine ter s’rinder, en why don’ us do hit. Ah jes’ 
sets down en waits wid de res’. 

“In er ’bout er hour er so us got de order ter fall 
in line en Ah notice de sodgers all cyared dey guns 
lak dey gwine ter er fight en, Lawd! Ah wuz sho’ 
skeered stiff fer fear dem gine’ls don’ change dey 
min’s ’bout dat s’rinder. W’en Ah look at dem 
men’s faces, speshally Marse Billy’s, dey wa’nt er 
one uv ’em Ah dast ter ax whar us wuz gwine so 
Ah jes’ went ’long wid ’em ’dout sayin’ nothin’ ’tall. 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


123 


“Us ma’ched on back ter Appomatox Co’thouse 
en jes’ stood in line, de mens hol’in’ dey guns en not 
sayin’ nothin’. Ah looked way up de line at de 
sodgers whut got dar lus’ en dey wuz er steppin’ 
up en stackin’ dey guns ’fo’ er passel er Yankee 
orficers. Ez de line ’ud move up ouah orficers ’ud 
han’ ’em dey swo’ds en de sodgers ’ud lay down 
dey guns. 

“Soon ez Ah seed whut dey wuz doin’ Ah thought 
’bout de time Marse Billy cuss me kaze Ah try 
ter tote ’is gun; en Ah know hit wuz gwine ter mos’ 
kill ’im ter lay hit down dat erway. Ah look at ’im 
whar ’e wuz stan’in’ by de well in de co’thouse yard 
en Ah seed ’e wuz projeckin’ wid ’isse’f ’bout 
somep’n. ’E’d look at ’is gun en den ’e’d look at 
de well, en den ’e’d say somep’n ter de boy nex’ ter 
’im; en Ah knowed ’e stiddyin’ ’bout somep’n else 
’sides layin’ dat gun down. 

“ ’Bout dat time de lines move up er liT en dat 
puts Marse Billy spang eben wid de well. ’E look 
at ’is Cap’n en den ’e look at de Yankee orficers lak 
’e still stiddyin’ ’bout somep’n. Ah’s stan’in’ right 
’hin’ ’im en Ah heerd ’im say, ‘Ah’ll not s’rinder 
mer gun,’ en ’e retch up en ease hit down inside de 
well en drap hit; en Ah wonders why eb’ybody dar 
didn’ hear de ‘chug’ w’en hit strak de water. Well, 
sir, de boy whut wuz nex’ ter ’im do jes’ whut ’e do, 


124 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


cn w’cn de res* er dem mens seed ’im all uv ’em 
whut wuz in de comp’ny, en ain’ done already pass 
de well, done de same. Hit didn’ look right ter 
ruin up de well lak dat but Marse Billy seem ter be 
in better sperrits atter hit wuz done, en dey’s so 
many uv ’em dar dat nobuddy ain’ ax ’im no 
queschons ’bout ’is gun. 

“Atter us got back ter camp en gethered up whut 
li’P stuff us had Ah ax Marse Billy how wuz us 
gwine ter git home, en ’e say us’d walk, er co’se. 
Ah knowed hit wuz er mighty long walk ter start 
on sich er empty stummick but Ah’s r’arin’ ter go 
en Ah beg ’im ter come on, le’s go now. 

“Us didn’ hab ter start hongry, howsomeber, kaze 
Gine’l Grant ’vited us ober ter dey camp en dey 
sho’ fed us full ’fo’ us started. But eben dat didn’ 
seem ter mek much diff’ence ter de mens fer w’en 
time come fer ’em ter start home dey sutten’y look 
lak dey dunno which way ter tu’n. Some uv ’em 
walks er li’l’ piece one way en den tu’n ’roun’ en go 
anudder way. Marse Billy, ’e don’ start ertall, ’e 
jes’ sets down in de grass ’side de road en sot dar 
lak ’e ain’ gwine nowhar’. 

“ ’E look so po’ly dat Ah set out ter fin’ Marse 
Robert kaze Ah thought ’e mout tease ’im er li’P 
en git ’im in better sperrits ter start; but w’en Ah 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


125 


foun’ ’im, brcss Gawd, Marse Rober wuz ez bad 
off cz Marse Billy—er wusser. 

“ ’E ax me whar is Marse Billy en w’en Ah tell 
'im ’e th’owed me de bridle uv ’is hoss en gwan 
whar Ah tell ’im ’e’s at. Ah follers ’m on, leadin’ 
de hoss, en w’en us got dar Marse Billy ain’ move, 
en Marse Robert jes’ draps down ’sides ’im. En 
den don’ nair one uv ’em say nothin’. 

“Dey sot dar en de sun wa’nt mo’ en fo’ hours 
high, en us wuz mos’ er thousan’ miles f’om home. 

“Atter while do, Marse Robert say ter Marse 
Billy dat dey’d tek tu’ns wid de hoss ez long ez ’e 
las’, en den dey’ll tu’n ’im loose en bofe walk de 
res’ er de way. ’E try ter mek Marse Billy tek de 
fus’ ride but ’e won’ do hit, en so Marse Robert 
rid on en tol’ ’im ’e’d wait fer us down de road er 
piece. Us coch up wid ’im long late in de ebenin’ 
en Marse Billy rid er spell, but ’twa’n’t long ’fo’ 
’e stop en wait fer us. ’E say dat ’e’d been wid 
’is crowd so long dat ’e b’l’ebe ’e’ed ruther go wid 
’em de res’ er de way. ’E say ’e don’ wan’er ride 
nohow. 

“Marse Robert try ter reason wid ’im but ’twa’n’ 
no use, en bymeby ’e rid on en lef’ us. Marse Billy 
sot down by de side er de road en waited tell some 
er de boys out de ol’ Comp’ny coch up wid us en 
den us went on. Dey wuz all boys f’om ouah 


126 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


neighborhood, some uv ’em younger den Marse 
Billy now. Dey wuz ’bout five uv ’em en whilst 
dey didn’ hab much ter say hit ’peared lak dey felt 
er liT better f’om jes’ bein’ togedder. 

“De Yankees had done gi’ed us rations ’nuff fer 
dat day en er li’l’ atter sundown us camped by er 
liT spring en et ouah snack er supper, en sot dar 
by de fiah talkin’ er long time. 

“One er de boys ax Marse Billy ter git out ’is 
fiddle en ’e played ober de war chunes atter ’e’d 
played de chune whut ’e’d learnt f’om Miss Betsy. 
Dey all don’ seem quite so low sperrited atter dat en 
dey eben sung er li’l’, but us soon wropped up in 
ouah blankets en laid down by de fiah en drapped 
ter sleep. 

“Ah didn’ know how us wuz gwine ter git thoo 
de nex’ day kaze Marse Billy’d done already tol’ 
me Ah got ter stop stealin’, en us didn’ hab no mo’ 
rations. Den too, de sodgers wuz paid off in Con- 
fedric money en hit wa’nt no ’count now. Us went 
on down de road do’, en de fus’ house us come ter 
Ah look ’roun’ keerful ter see ef dey’s any prospecks 
er bre’kfus’. Dey seem ter be er heap er cookin’ 
er gwine on in de yard en dey wuz some planks 
nailed up ter de trees in de grove lak dey wuz gwine 
ter hab er bobbycue. 

“Marse Billy en de yuthers kep’ right on lak 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


127 


dey don’ see nothin’ but Ah sho’ did hate ter pass 
dat place by. ’Fo’ us got clean by, howsomeber, 
er slim, gray-haided ol* gent’man come down ter de 
gate en ax us is we all had bre’kfus’. 

“Marse Billy sorter laff en tell ’im dat us wa’nt 
’spectin’ none. 

“De ol’ gent’man den ax us ter come in en hab 
some wid ’im, en Dave sho’ wuz one thankful nigger. 

“Dey had plenty er good hot cawn pone en fried 
middlin’ en sas’frass tea sweetened wid ’lasses, en 
de young ladies er de house waited on de table 
whilst de black ’oman whut wuz doin’ de cookin’ 
gi’ed me er plate by de fiah. Ah sot dar en watch 
Marse Billy, ’e alluz wuz er pow’ful han’ wid de 
ladies, en Ah cu’d see ’is sperrits risin’. Hit wa’nt 
long ’fo’ ’e had ’em all er talkin’ en er laffin’ lak ’e 
uster do in camp—dat boy sutten’y wuz er tonick 
fer low-sperrited folks kaze w’en ’e sot out ter git 
’em thoo de dumps dey mout ez well come fus’ ez 
las’ fer come dey would. 

“De young ladies ax ’im ter gib ’em er chune on 
’is fiddle en dey had sich er good time whilst us wuz 
dar dat some er de folks foller us ter de gate en 
look lak dey sorry ter hab us go. 

“Hit wuz jes’ dat erway all ’long dat road to’des 
home; might’ nigh eb’y house us passed offered us 
somep’n t’eat. Sometimes de folks wouldn’ hab 


128 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


nothin’ but er washpot full er fiel’ peas er cookin' 
in de yard; en mebby dey’d be meat in de pot en 
mebby dey wouldn’. 

“Sometimes Marse Billy en de yuthers would 
stop, but heap er times, w’en dey didn’ see no young 
ladies erbout, dey’d pass de time er day wid de 
folks en tek dey tin cup er peas en dey cawn pone 
en march on down de road, eatin’ hit. 

“De nigher us got ter home de higher Marse 
Billy’s sperrits riz’ en by de time us got ter de ol’ 
pontoon bridge en cross Broad Ribber right whar 
hit run inter de Savanner, ’e seem er right smart 
lak de boy ’e uster be. 

“De ol’ cannon wus still er settin’ up on de high 
bluff ober de pontoon bridge, but de gyards wuz all 
gone en us crossed ’dout seein’ nobody ertall. Hit 
sho’ wuz er lonely road thoo dat part er de kentry; 
us nuvver met er livin’ soul f’om de time us crossed 
dat bridge tell us struck camp dat night. 

“Marse Billy had done squirmished ’roun’ en 
got hoi’ uv er li’l’ somep’n t’eat w’en us passed thoo 
de las’ town kaze ’e knowed dey wouldn’ be no place 
ter git nothin’ on dat road en ’e ain’ lemme steal 
er Gawd’s thing sence de s’rinder. Us struck camp 
in de aidge uv er thick woods en started ter cookin’ 
supper. Hit wuz er cloudy, misty night en right 
smart chilly. Us sot up dost ’roun’ er big fiah en 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


129 


de mens wuz er talkin’ en er laffin’ but Ah wuz er 
lookin’ at de big trees all ’roun’ us en thinkin’ Ah 
ain’ nuvver seed sich black shadders ez de fiahlight 
sont dancin’ thoo dem woods. Ah dunno whut 
wuz de matter wid me dat night; dem shadders 
wuz on mer nerves. Sometimes dey look lak dey 
hol’in’ han’s en circlin’ ’roun’ us, en sometimes dey 
run off thoo de woods. Dey look so deblish yer’s 
glad dey’s gone on’y, de fus’ thing yer knowed, 
dar dey wuz ergin, right ober yer shoulder—en de 
dark jes’ shet us in lak er wall. 

“All at onct, whilst Marse Billy wuz er playin’ 
’is fiddle—en whut de name er Gawd ’e picked dat 
chune fer Ah dunno, but ’e wuz playin’ ‘De Camels 
Is Cornin’—Ah heerd somep’n dat sho’ made me set 
up en lissen. Ah punch Marse Billy kaze hit soun’ 
lak er whole comp’ny uv artillery lumberin’ down 
de road; but ’e had done struck inter ‘De Debil’s 
Dream’; en wuz might’ nigh snatchin’ de innards 
out dat fiddle en don’ pay me no min’. Ah punch 
’im ergin en ’e lay ’ is fiddle cross ’is knees en ax 
me whut de debil do Ah want now. 

“Ah tol’ ’im fer Gawd’s sake ter lissen fer ’isse’f, 
en den dey all got up en stood dar er lis’nin’ down 
de road. Ah begs ’em all ter put out de fiah right 
quick en hide in de bushes tell us seed whut wuz 
passin’ kaze Ah sho’ didn’ wanter git mixed up wid 


130 


CONFED’RIC GOV 


no mo’ army doin’s; but dey don’ pay me no min’ 
crtall; dey jes’ steps out ter de side er de road en 
waits fer whut’s cornin’. 

“De rumblin’ come closter en closter but hit so 
dark yer couldn’ see yer han’ ’fo’ yer face w’en yer 
lef’ de fiah. By de time whuteber hit wuz got down 
in de holler whar us wuz camped hit soun’ lak er 
whole artillery reg’ment wid de ^mberlances behin’ 
’em. Marse Billy retched back en drapped anudder 
lit’od knot in de fiah en hit blaze up en th’ow de 
light er right smart ways down de road; en us seed 
hit wa’nt nothin’ but er waggin train. 

“W’en de fus’ man druv up ’e stop en say, ‘Gent’- 
mens, we’s ready ter gib up en we won’ mek no 
trouble ertall.’ 

“Marse Billy en de yuthers tell ’im dat dey dunno 
whut ’e talkin’ ’bout but ef dey’s thinkin’ uv strack- 
in’ camp dat night us’d be pleased ter hab ’em jine 
us. 

“De man didn’ say nothin’, ’e jes’ pull ter one 
side en wait fer de yuther drivers ter come up. Dey 
wuz fo’ heaby kivered waggins wid fo’ hosses ter 
eb’y one, en de hosses wuz so fagged dat dey jes’ 
leant up ’ginst one anudder w’ere dey stop. 

“De fus’ driver got out ’is waggin en went back 
en tol’ de yuthers dat dese gent’mans ax ’em ter 
strack camp wid ’em fer de night, en ’e ax ’em whut 
do dey wan’er do. 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


131 

“De mens all got out den. Dey wuz two in eb'y 
waggin en dey had on ol’ gray nuniforms, en dey 
toted mo’ pistols en swo’ds den Ah’d seed sence us 
lef’ de war. Dey come up ter de fiah en looked us 
ober mighty cur’ous lak en ax us who us is en whar 
us wuz gwine. Atter dey foun’ out all dey wan’er 
know ’bout us dey say dey’d be pleased ter spen’ de 
night. 

“Us hoped ’em ter tek out dey hosses en Ah 
sutten’y wuz sorry fer dem po’ critters. De strange 
mens fed ’em some cawn en jes’ tu’nt ’em loose en 
dey sho’ nuwer moved fur f’om dey tracks dat night. 

“Atter us finished wid de hosses de strange mens 
come back ter de fiah en ez dey hed plenty er rations 
wid ’em us hoped ’em cook dey supper. W’en hit 
wuz done dey axed us ter jine ’em en, seein’ ez how 
dey had so much better’n we-all, us et wid ’em ergin. 

“Atter supper dey sot dar ’roun’ de fiah en look 
so ’spondent dat Marse Billy try ter cheer ’em up. 
Dey seem ter hab somep’n pow’ful ’sponsible on dey 
min’s, en ’pear lak dey sufferin’ ter tell hit but dey 
don’ jes’ ’zackly know how ter start ’bout hit. Dey 
looks fom one ter de yuther uv ’em lak dey waitin’ 
fer somebody ter speak fus’. 

“Bymeby de man whut druv de fus’ waggin 
cleared up ’is thote en tuk er long breff en say, 
‘Gent’mens, we’s in mighty ser’ous trouble ’bout er 


132 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


li’l’ matter dat we’d lak ter speak wid yer erbout’— 
de yuthers looked lak dey mighty glad ’e started talk¬ 
in’ en dey leans forrard en lissens mo’ anxious lak 
dan we all. 

“De man went on, ‘No doubt y’all is er wonderin’ 
whut dis waggin train en dese gyards means, en 
hit’s er secret whut’s been kep’ faithful sence us 
lef’ Richmon’, but hit’s er secret whut kin be kep’ 
no longer, en, gent’mens, we axes you ter he’p us 
ternight.’ 

“ ‘In dem waggins dar, is all de gol’ whut wuz in 
de Confed’ric trezry. Hit wuz gib ter us jes’ ’fo’ 
Richmon’ fell en de ones whut started us off didn’ 
hab time ter gib us no full ’structions ’bout whut 
ter do wid hit. Dey jes’ tol* us ter try ter keep de 
Yankees f’om gittin’ hit en ter gib hit ter President 
Davis ef us could. Now de Yankees is pressin’ us 
dost en ouah hosses is wo’ out. We cut de pon¬ 
toon bridge w’en we pass ober but dat won’ sabe us 
long. We’s been er trabblin’ fer mo’ en er mont’ en 
we’s ready ter stop en, gent’mens, we axes you all 
t?er he’p us dispoze er dis gol’ ternight kaze hit’s 
mo’ en ouah lives is wuth ter keep hit. 

“ ‘Ef we don’ do somep’n wid hit ternight de 
Yankees’ll git hit termorror; en whilst hit don’ 
b’long ter us, hit sutten’y don’ b’long ter dem, en 
we’s been er gyardin’ hit so long dat we hates ter 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


133 


gib hit ter ’em. We cyan tu’n hit ober ter de pres¬ 
ident kaze ’e’s done been capchered en we cyan git 
red uv it ’dout some he’p kaze we don’ know noth¬ 
in’ ’bout de kentry thoo hyr. Whut do yer think, 
gent’mens?’ 

“Ah looks at dem strange men’s faces gethered 
up ’roun’ dat fiah en hit seem ter me lak de black 
shadders is er circlin’ up closter en closter ’hin’ ’em, 
en dat dey’s er lis’nin’ en er motionin’ at ’em. We 
all look at de strange mens en dey look at us but 
don’ nobody speak. De li’l’ blue flames dey’s er 
dancin’ en hit look lak dem shadders is er playin’ 
some deblish game ’hin’ ouah backs en dat dey’s er 
laffin’ en er p’intin’ at us, but don’ nobuddy see hit 
but me. 

“Bymeby Marse Billy say, ‘Whut do yer mean 
by gittin’ red er de gol’ ?’ 

“De man cl’ar up ’is thote ergin en say, ‘How kin 
we git red uv hit ’dout ’vidin’ hit up en hidin’ hit?’ 

“Dem boys, kaze dey wa’nt nothin’ else, sot dar 
lak dey’s stiddyin’; den dey sorter ’gin ter talk hit 
ober ’mongst deyse’fs. Ah tech Marse Billy en sez, 
‘Marse Billy, fer Gawd’s sake don’ go ’fusin’ er 
dat gol’. He’p dem mens do whut dey wan’er do 
kaze w’en yer gits home yer’ll sho’ need dat money. 
Dey tell me Mr. Linkum done freed all yer paw’s 
triflin’ niggers en ef yer tek hit yer kin sen’ ofl en 


134 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


git some mo’—en Ah hopes ter de Lawd yer’ll mek 
me dey oberseer.’ 

“Marse Billy look lak ’e don’ eben hear whut Ah’s 
sayin’, ’e tu’n ter de mens en say, ‘We’s sorry, gent’- 
mens, not ter be able ter he’p yer in dis but hit 
wouldn’ be right fer us ter tek dat gol’. We’s 
been er fightin’ fer de Confed’ric gov’ment fer fo’ 
ye’rs en we don’ wan’er rob de trezery now w’en 
hit’s er passin’ thoo hit’s darkes’ hour er tribberla- 
tion. Ah sh’d think dat, sence yer’d come dis fur, 
de bes’ thing ter do would be ter try ter mek hit on 
ter Milledgeville en, in de name er de Confed’ric 
states, tu’n de gol’ ober ter de gov’ner er Georgia.’ 

“All ouah boys ’gree wid Marse Billy en say dey 
cyan’ tek de gol’ ne’ther en dey all say hit’s de bes’ 
ter gib hit ter de gov’ner. 

“De strangers look monstrous dissap’inted kaze 
dey say dey know dey’ll git kilt ’fo’ dey git ter 
Milledgeville. Dey say dey cyan’ leab hit howsome- 
cber, kaze dey’d swo’ dat dey’d de de bes’ dey kin 
ter put hit in er safe place. 

“Atter dey stop talkin’ ’bout hit us went ter baid 
on de groun’, same lak us been er doin’, but de 
strange mens got up in dey waggins. ’Twa’nt long 
’fo’ ’bout all uv ’em wuz sleepin’ but mer min’ kep’ 
er dancin’ en er turnin’ lak dem shadders en Ah jes’ 
shet mer eyes en laid dar thinkin’ ’bout dem big 
chists full er Confed’ric gol’. ” 


CHAPTER X 


THE GRAY GUARDS 

cC A LL dat night Ah couldn’ sleep fer hopin’ Marse 
Billy’d change ’is min’ ’bout dat gol’; but de 
nex’ mawnin’ dey wuz all er de same ’pinion en Ah 
wa’nt de onlies’ one whut wuz dissap’inted. De 
strange mens wuz still er beggin’ we all ter he’p 
’em do somep’n wid hit en Marse Billy en de yuth- 
ers wuz still er ’fusin’. 

“Dey sutten’y wuz sorrowful lookin’ mens w’en 
us hoped ’em ter git off en showed ’em de way ter 
Mliledgeville; en Ah wuz sorry fer ’em. Atter 
dey’d thanked us en tol’ us goodbye, en atter dey’d 
been on de road ’bout fo’ hours, us heerd de tromp- 
lin’ uv hosses behin’ us en dis time Marse Billy en 
de yuthers lissens ter me w’en Ah ax ’em all ter 
le’s hide in de bushes tell us see who’s cornin’. Us 
hadn’ mo’n got outer sight ’fo’ ’bout twenty Yan¬ 
kee kevelrymens come gallopin’ by, en gentermens! 
dey’s er ridin’. Dey’s er lookin’ ter de right en ter 
de lef’ en nobuddy but de good Lawd knowed how 
Ah wuz trimblin’ ’hin dem bushes. 

“Atter dey pass en us seed dey wa’nt no mo’ corn¬ 
in’ right now, us got up en started on down de road. 
(i35) 


136 


CONFED’RIC GOV 


Ah sho’ wuz sorry fer dem strange mens in de kiv- 
ered waggins en Marse Billy look lak ’e er right 
smart ’sturbed ’isse’f. Bymeby ’e say dat ef us’d 
went er piece wid ’em hit would er been mo’ eben. 

“De yuthers all say, ‘Da’s so, but hit’s too late 
now.’ 

“All dat day us couldn’ seem ter talk ’bout nothin’ 
but dem strange mens en de waggins full er gol’. 
Marse Billy kep’ er sayin’ dat ’e hoped dey got ’way 
f’om de Yankees en all de yuthers ’greed wid ’im, 
but us knowed dey didn’. 

“Us went on all dat day ’dout seein’ no signs uv 
’em en jes’ ’fo’ sundown us seed fo’ er dey hosses, 
wid dey harnesses danglin’, eatin’ ’long side de road. 
De hosses wuz so tangled up dat Marse Billy 
stopped en cut ’em loose, en er liT furder on us 
come ter de waggins deyse’fs. Some uv ’em wuz 
tu’nt ober en de chists wuz busted open en de gol’ 
wuz gone but de las’ one er dem strange mens en 
nine er de Yankees wuz scattered ’roun’ daid. 

“Hit sho’ looked lak dem Yankees had er squirm- 
ish ’fo’ dey got whut dey come fer, en ter dis day 
Ah don’ see how de ones whut wuz lef’ cu’d er got 
erway wid dat much gol.’ Dey sho’ly mus’ er bur¬ 
ied some uv hit under dem big trees dost ter whar 
dey took hit kaze dey sutten’y couldn’ er toted hit 
fur. En de part whut dey took wid ’em didn’ do 


THE GRAY’ GUARDS 


137 


’em no good ertall kaze er passel er low-down white 
mens, whut managed somehow ter hide out f’om de 
war, heerd ’bout de waggins en, in lookin’ fer dem, 
met de Yankees wid dey saddlebags fuller gol’. Dey 
had anudder squirmish en mos’ all er de Yankees 
w’d some er de white mens wuz killed up ’hove 
Wash’n’ton en don’ nobuddy know whut ’come er 
de res’er de gol’. 

“Ez fer me, w’en Ah pass dem waggins dat day 
Ah marked de place ter merse’f kaze Ah b’l’ebed in 
mer soul dat mos’ er dat money wuz buried right 
dar. 

“Marse Billy say ’e didn’ b’l’ebe dat dem Yan¬ 
kees whut got de gol’ wuz trabblin’ under orders. 
’E say ’e b’l’ebe dey wuz jes’ foragin’ fer deyse’fs 
en da’s whut Ah b’l’ebe too. Dey’d jes’ ’bout heerd 
dat President Davis had come thoo Wash’n’ton en 
dey figgered dat de waggins would be mo’ en ap’ 
ter foller ’im en dat dey’d cut ’em off, which dey 
done. Ef dem mens had b’longed ter de reg’lar 
army en dey’d got kilt up dat erway Ah b’l’ebe 
dey’d er tried ter hoi’ somebuddy ’sponsible fer de 
killin’ en f’om dat day ter dis dey ain’ nobuddy 
heerd nothin’ ’tall erbout ’em. 

'‘Mo’ en dat, Ah b’l’ebes dat dem saddle bags 
full er gol’ whut de Yankees tuk wid ’em is all uv 
hit dat eber got back ter cirkerlashun kaze fo’ wag- 


138 


CONFED’RIC GOV 


ginloads full er gol’ would sutten’y made er splurge 
w’en hit got tu’nt loose en dey ain’ nuvver nobuddy 
heerd whut come er de res’ er dat money. De Yan¬ 
kees whut buried hit knowed whar dey put hit, er 
co’se, but Ah don’ b’l’ebe none uv ’em eber got back 
ter see ’bout hit.” 

“Didn’t you and grandfather ever go back to 
look for the Confederate Gold, Uncle Dave?” 
whispered William breathlessly, as the old man 
wiped his wrinkled face with a red bandanna—Rob¬ 
ert and Reggie had deserted long ago. 

“Lawd, honey, Ah couldn’ neber git Marse Billy 
ter eben talk ’bout dat money en Ah couldn’ do 
nothin’ by merse’f. Times got harder en harder en 
us got po’er en po’er. De niggers wuz freed en 
tu’nt loose on de white folks. Dey wouldn’ wuck 
en de white folks didn’ hab nothin’ ter pay ’em wid 
ef dey had. De niggers bleeged ter live en mos’ uv 
’em done hit by ravegin’ en robbin’ en Ah sho’ wuz 
glad w’en de Klu Kluxez riz up en put ’em in dey 
places kaze Ah knowed Marse Billy’d perteck me. 
’E wuz one er de maines’ Klu Kluxez en ’e sho’ 
made niggers stan’ ’roun’, but Ah nuvver did lak 
ter see ’im in dat nuniform—’e didn’ look nachel. 

“One day atter times got sorter straightened out 
en atter Marse Billy had done fotch Miss Betsy en 
Hanner home, Ah wuz er teckkin’ er li’l’ cawn ter 


THE GRAY GUARDS 


139 


mill en Ah pass dat place whar dat ol’ gyard tuk 
dey las’ stan’. Hit wuz de fus’ time Ah’d passed 
de place w’en Ah had de chanct ter look ’roun’ en 
Ah stops mer waggin en gits out. Ah sighted f’om 
de tumbledown mile pos’ ter er big tree whut Ah’d 
sorter picked out ez bein’ easy ter fin’ ’mongs’ de 
yuthers kaze hit wuz so diff’ent. Hit wuz ol’ en 
knotty en de limbs might’ nigh retched de groun’. 

“Ah ’members hit wuz in de fall er de ye’r en 
dey wuz so many daid leabs on dat groun’ dat dey’s 
mos’ knee-deep, en de trees wuz so thick dat hit 
wuz jes’ twilight in dem woods, fer all de trees 
wuz so naked. 

“Ah jes projecks ’roun’ er while under dat ol’ 
tree, lookin’ fer whut Ah cu’d fin’ en, sho’ ’nuff, 
right up at de root Ah picked up ha’f uv er swode 
wid de hilt on hit. Marse Billy had learnt me er 
liT readin’ en Ah knowed de letter U S stood fer 
de Yankees, en de letters C S stood fer we-all, en 
hit made me feel sorter res’less lak ter think dat 
mebby one er dem ol’ gyards lef’ dat swode dar 
handy whar ’e cu’d git hit on short notice. 

“Somep’n kep’ er tellin’ me, ‘Nigger, git out f’om 
hyr,’ but Ah bit down wid mer teefs en kep’ on 
projeckin’ ’roun’. Ah couldn’ he’p f’om lookin’ 
’roun’ do’, Ah wuz so nervious, en de trees wuz all 
gray—jes’ de color er de nuniforms dem ol’ gyards 


wo . 


140 


CONFED’RIC GOL’ 


“Ah kicked up de leabes all ’roun’ de roots er 
dat tree en on one side, mixed up wid de rich black 
yerth wuz some liT balls er yaller clay, en yer know 
clay don’ b’long on top er de groun’ in no sich 
woods lak dat. 

“Ah wuz lookin’ fer somep’n’ ter scratch er liT 
deeper wid en dar, kivered up wid dat clay, wuz er 
rusty ol’ bay’net. Ah picked hit up en wuz er 
scrapin’ erway en de deeper Ah got de mo’ clay Ah 
foun’ w’en, bress Gawd! Ah stuck de bay’net inter 
somep’n’ dat wa’nt clay. Ah pulled hit out en 
stickin’ on de p’int uv hit wuz er piece uv er ol’ 
Confed’ric nuniform. Hit wuz all rotted en failin’ 
ter pieces but de C S wuz still er showin’ plain on 
de buttons. 

“Ah nuvver looked ’roun’ no mo’ kaze Ah’s 
skeerd dat Ah’d fin’ somep’n Ah didn’ wan’er see, 
Ah lit out er dem woods right den, but ter save mer 
soul f’om torment Ah couldn’ keep f’om lookin’ 
back at dat ol’ tree wid de knotty limbs mos’ tech- 
in’ de groun’ en de gray shadders movin’ w’en de 
breeze pass thoo. De daid leabes roll ’long ’fo’ 
de win’ en dey mek liT rattlin’ noises lak some- 
buddy tiptoein’, tiptoein’ thoo de woods en Ah 
thought dem ol’ gray gyards mout still be er hol’in’ 
dey las’ stan’ whar dey made dey fight, en Dave 
sho’ wa’nt de nigger ter ’sturb whut dey gyarded.” 





















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